-Pact-
by kerina-chan
Summary: "Well one thing's for sure," said mom, "There are things in this world that the mortal eye can't see. Perhaps it's better left that way." For as long as she can remember, May has seen them. A Hunter, her sole purpose in life is to purge the world of their disgusting presence - so what happens when she finds herself bound in a fatal contract with one? /Au/Contestshipping/
1. Demons & Hunters

_Never before had it rained so torrentiously._

 _As the 12 year old girl ran home, oversized raincoat billowing in the violent winds, all she could think of was the taste of warm hot chocolate on her tongue, and the comforting presence of hot food in her belly. Mom would have the fire going by now; her chilled fingers ached at the thought._

"… _Meteorologists say that this is one of the worst storms our country has seen in years. Stay inside at all costs; do not under any circumstance leave your house unless absolutely necessary. Experts say we're looking at a possible typhoon, and the estimated time for this weather to last will be between two to four days. Stay safe. This is Katie Gibs, reporting from…"_

 _As she ran past an electronics shop, the twelve TVs aligned in the store windows crackled. For a split second the reporter's face sizzled and glitched, an array of rainbow lines flashing where her desk was supposed to be._

 _Then everything went black._

 _The girl skidded to a halt. Her heart hammering against her chest, she glanced about; something was wrong._

 _All her instincts urged her to run home. The wind was battering her further by the second, and the keen whistling of the storm was beginning to hurt her ears._

 _But one of them was near._

 _Swallowing, she looked up at the store's roof, expecting to see one of those creatures' she'd seen ever since youth. She was being stupid – she knew that. They were dangerous. She should just get the heck out there and run._

 _Her eyes grazed the gutters._

 _Her heart calmed._

 _Nothing._

 _Turning back in the direction of her house, the girl was about to run again when something different caught her eye. A black cat sat in the middle of the street, calm and collected, as if the day was simply another mundane, lazy one. The girl tried to fight back her panic. "Here kitty," she called, crouching down. She saw the cat's ear flick._

" _C-C'mon…it's not safe out here."_

 _The cat turned its head. For a moment she forgot to breath._

 _Its eyes were a deep red, as bottomless and empty as the earth's core._

 _She stumbled back._

 _The cat jumped up and ran away._

 _One of them…_

 _Thunder cracked through the sky, and a bolt of lightning lit the heavens white; the girl stifled a scream. Before she even knew what she was doing she was running again, blindly, tears rimming the edges of her eyes and breath coming in short, ragged gasps._

 _Somehow, she made it back home. Her fingers slipped on the slick doorknob, before she finally managed to shove it open; tripping inside, a blast of icy wind slammed the door shut, and all the girl could do was lie pathetically on the carpet, sogging wet and choking on wet gasps._

" _M-Mom…?"_

 _She became painfully aware, after a few moments, that apart from the banging of the rain on her roof, and the yapping of Lua in the next room, there was naught to be heard from her family; not even the welcoming flicker of fire._

 _Lua-!_

 _At that second Lua squealed. The girl scrambled to her feet. "Lua? Come here girl!" A bundle of brown fur rocketed towards her, and slammed into her chest; rocking back, she grasped the small dog with her numbed hands, hugging her as close to her heart as she possibly could._

" _Dad?"_

 _Silence._

 _Lua growled._

 _A smash resounded from the next room. The girl flinched and Lua whimpered in reply. "There, there," she soothed, her voice trembling._

 _Hugging Lua even tighter, the girl tip-toed past the corridor and into the lounge. "W-Who's there?" No answer. "Daddy, please, t-this isn't funny anymore!"_

 _Another crash.  
"Mom?!"_

 _And then she saw it._

 _One of_ them.

 _It emerged from her parent's bedroom in a clunky fashion; elongated face thick with black fur, yellowed teeth poking through its doglike muzzle. Its eyes were a wide, unblinking red; it walked on its hindlegs, its forelegs merely being massive wings awkwardly held out in front of itself._

 _Crimson splattered its dark chest, and stained its cheeks._

 _She stifled a cry._

 _The creature snarled and turned to face her. It lowered its head. Lua began to squeal; the girl staggered back, shaking her head, a dull scream ebbing at the back of her throat._

 _It growled again._

 _And lunged._

* * *

"…Ugh…"

The high-pitched beeping of the alarm cut through her dreams; groggy, May reached up and slammed a button on the digital clock. Immediately the sound was silenced.

Head falling back into the pillow, May savoured the warm softness of her cocoon of blankets; she squeezed her eyes shut, blobs of light dancing before her eyelids, desperately trying to unsee the harsh sunlight filtering through her curtains.

 _Just five more minutes…maybe 10…if I'm lucky…an hour._

And then the door burst open and Lua came barking in, her shrill yapping even worse than the alarm that had woken her up. The furry body leaped onto her bed and collided with May's chest. Despite her annoyance, the seventeen year old couldn't help laughing.

"Alright, alright, I'M UP!"

* * *

"Jeez, Lua…do you have to be such a crybaby?"

The furry dog lay whimpering behind her legs, a grey cat washing its paws before it.

They were out on the streets; the bustling cacophony of morning traffic was inescapable, and the acrid scent of fumes and dust permeated the air. May sighed, taking in a deep breath and enjoying what little clean air she could taste; she was used to the pollution by now.

"Come on, scardy cat, let's go." She had to drag Lua past the kitten, which gave a friendly meow to the dog; Lua yelped and scuttled forward.

"Hey there, missy."

The familiar voice made May jump.

"Hollis!"

May ran forward, an eager smile planted on her face. "Long time no see, huh?" she said.

"Yeah, it's been a while. I was over in England for a business trip." Breathing in the vapour of his smoke, Hollis flashed a charming smile, almost hidden behind the thick fog stirred up by his cigar. "How about you? Out on a job?"

"Nah." May shrugged. "It's been pretty quiet these past few days. I guess that's good, but…"

"Ah. Money tight, eh?"

She nodded. "You could say that."

"Well…" A sly look brightened in his dark green eyes. "You know, the offer's still on the table. Ever want to stop being such a lone hero then you're free to come to us."

"Thanks – but I'm good on my own." Her reply was so curt that Hollis couldn't help laughing.

"Honestly I didn't expect any other answer."

"Well, you shouldn't." She couldn't help laughing along with him.

At that moment Lua tugged forward on her lead. May nodded at Hollis, who waved back. "Good seeing you," he called. "Stay safe."

 _Stay safe…_

"Yeah. Don't worry, I will."

* * *

"Aw man. Life's tough huh, Lua?"

Lua looked down at May, who lay sprawled on the grass.

"What would you know," she sighed, scratching the dog between the ears. "All you do is eat and sleep." Her eyes grazed the expansive sky, following a giant bony bird as its wings cut through cloud. Another demon. She hadn't seen one in a while.

She wondered just where it was headed.

"Hey!"

A young voice startled her from her daze, and May lurched upright.

There before her stood a young boy. He was panting heavily, a toy sword strung around his side. "You're one of them, aren't you?" he quizzed. "A Hunter."

May could hardly keep the joy from her face. Leaping to her feet, she grabbed the boy by his shoulders and nodded vigorously. "That I am! Name's May. You got a problem, little guy?"

The boy stumbled back, surprised at her excited outburst. He glanced around, as if paranoid on people overhearing him, before nodding towards May. "I've seen your ad. You can see demons, huh? My dad thinks we're crazy, but granny and I know they exist! I think there's one haunting our local shrine. Strange things have been happening and there's a really evil presence there." He paused for breath. "Can you help us?"

"A shrine huh…" Demons seemed to like polluting such Holy places. "Sure I can help! What kind of strange things have you seen?"

"Levitating objects and – and illusions! Weird stuff, like people that aren't really there and places that could never exist on earth. It's starting to creep me out. Granny and I go there heaps for worship, but it's no longer a nice place to stay."

 _Sounds like a mischievous one._ "Sure." But just before the kid tugged to lead her in the right direction, May jerked back. "But you can pay me right? I mean I don't offer my services for free." She winked to Lua – this was their first job in ages. Maybe it would be their big break!

The kid groaned at that – _cheeky little sneak,_ May thought, although she managed to bite back the remark. "Fine. I will. But you gotta come now!"

* * *

The moment May stepped foot on the Shrine grounds, she could feel it. The uneasy, swampy presence of a Demon.

It made her feel sluggish – as if she had one foot in another a realm, a realm no humans were supposed to know of. The boy hung back, eyes wide. Lua growled.

"Stay back," she grimaced, trying to comfortingly smile at her dog. Lua whined but reluctantly complied. The boy also hung back, shivering. "It feels worse than yesterday."

As she walked further the sluggish feeling began to ebb away; in its place throbbed a familiar disgust, weighing down her chest and boiling in her stomach.

She'd kill this damn thing like she'd done to so many others.

She clenched her hands into fists.

And as the shrine came to loom above her, she saw it.

Her breath hitched.

It was almost as if…as if it were human.

Had it not been for the thin, forked tail, curling horns and dark red eyes, May would've almost been certain it was one of her own.

It fixed her with a lazy look. She stood back, trying to hide her look of surprise.

"Well, well." The demon sighed, balancing just on the very edge of the roof. "Looks like my time is up, huh?"

May didn't reply. Closing her eyes, she steadied her breathing and instead focused on the world around her. Pressing her hand to a tree, she felt along the chipped, rough bark and scratchy branches. At once she whipped her hand away, and before her, in a blinding flash of white, emerged a sturdy, wooden sword, its blade curved and its hilt sleek and smooth to touch.

"Very scary," the demon mocked, and at once he jumped off the roof. He did not fall however; he simply hung in mid-air, his legs crossed and his tail lashing. As he was a bit closer, May found herself taking in more of his unusual appearance.

He wore baggy clothes, and had tussled green hair upon his head. If he were human, he would've been around 17. Shaking her head, May fixed him with a poisonous glare.

"Word on the street is you've been causing a bit of trouble. I'm here to remedy that."

"Really?" The demon jumped to the ground, landing as weightlessly as air. "To be honest I thought they would've sent a stronger Hunter. You look so…" He looked her up and down critically. "Weak."

If there was one thing May was not, it was weak.

 _Keep calm,_ Hollis had always told her, whenever she felt herself getting angry. May felt her shoulders bunch and her hands curl into fists. "What did you say to me?"

The demon rolled his eyes. "C'mon. Everybody knows the _real_ Hunter to watch out for. That guy with silver hair, always smoking a cigar." He sighed. "Why couldn't they have sent for him?"

She bit her lip, and before she had time to snap back a remark, the demon attacked.

She jumped back, just as his blood red katana sliced through air. He swung again, and May ducked; she kicked up at the demon, and he stumbled, just as she regained her footing and skidded a few feet back from the creature.

"Huh. You're fast."

The demon flashed forward; his katana nicked her ear, and May lashed with her own sword. Quicker than lightning the demon leapt up, and a clawed foot smashed into her face.

May was knocked to the ground. A groan escaped her throat, and she could taste the slick, metallic tang of blood. The demon stabbed his sword at the ground; she rolled away just in time, scrambled to her feet and lashed back. Although he avoided the blow, her axe whipped through his shirt and she saw him flinch at the impact.

She really was off her game today. Breathing hard, May took in the sight of the boy before her; maybe it was because she hadn't seen a demon like him before. Or maybe –

"What's the matter?" He wiggled his eyebrows, a sly grin parting his lips. "You speechless by my good looks?"

"Yeah, you wish." She stepped back, cautious, heart beating fast. "Give that body back."

"What?"

"I know you possessed it! Demons don't naturally look like people." She raised her axe, pointing it right at his throat. "You stole some poor kid's body. You took what was rightfully theirs!"

 _Mom…Dad…_

She felt tears rim her eyes.

"So give it back!"

She could see he was about to snap a reply when suddenly the demon went rigid. His eyes shot to the sky; May felt a kick of triumph jumpstart her heart. This was it. Her chance-

And then she saw it too. Rather, the shadow of it.

The demonic bird.

The demon bit back a gasp. And suddenly he shoved past her, scrambling in the direction of the city. He leapt onto the roof of a house. The creature above screeched and – as abruptly as it had appeared – disappeared without a trace.

It had all happened so fast.

And –

"He's gone."

Her words came as a small, helpless whisper, before surging up into a furious snarl.  
 _"God damn it!"_

* * *

"So. Did you get rid of it?"

"Yeah." Sometimes, one just had to lie. If May was lucky the demon would not return to the shrine.

The boy cheered. "Aw yeah! I bet it was really tough, huh? I wish I could see them!" He pretended to stab an imaginary being with his toy sword.

 _No…it was easy. I just…I should've been more alert around him._

"Well they are demons," she ended up laughing in reply. "You gotta be super tough yourself to deal with them."

"Cool," the boy said, voice laced with awe. "Oh! Here's the money." He passed fifty dollars to her. May almost felt guilty taking it. "Thank you! Now me and granny will be able to worship in peace!"

As the sun just reached the top of the sky, and May waved goodbye to the boy, she couldn't help wondering if she'd see that particular demon again.

Oh boy and when she did-

Lua barked. Her tail wagging, the little brown dog jumped ahead. "Hey! Wait for me!"

Somehow May knew that the shrine would not be their last encounter.

* * *

" _Daddy? What are demons?"_

 _Dad shot her a curious look. "Now that's a strange question to ask. Let's see…what do you think they are?"_

 _May shuddered. "Evil baddies! I bet they're like the villains in those comic book movies."_

" _Some are – but some aren't. Each breed is different you see. Just as Gods are all that is Holy and well in this world, the Demons are their opposite; both sides keep a fatal balance on earth."_

" _Sometimes I see them," May whispered. "They look scary."_

 _Dad laughed at that. "I think someone's reading way too many books." May glared at him._

" _But it's true! I saw one the other day! It was stinky and muddy and covered in blood! I never wanna see it again."_

 _Dad looked thoughtful at that. "Perhaps you have a gift then. Although I don't envy you; demons are said to be the representations of all that is bad. To see one in the flesh…"_

" _Gross." May wrinkled her nose, and her puppy Lua barked in agreement._

" _Well one thing's for sure," said mom, peeping over from her book, "There are things in this world that the mortal eye can't see. Perhaps it's better left that way."_

* * *

 _Extra –_

May – Aw yeah! I'm a super badass demon hunter! That's a pretty big step away from coordinator!

Mysterious Demon – Yeah, and you still suck.

May – Say that again to my face, grasshead!

Demon – You suck. You couldn't even beat me on a one-on-one match. C'mon, that was lame.

May – Well I bet the author will make you eat those words of yours. You're so going to regret that next chapter!

Demon – Bring it on.

May – Oh, it's on alright. It's so on.

* * *

 _This was a fun AU to start writing! This first chapter is mostly an introduction to the world that May now lives in. There are still a few mysteries to be revealed about the demons and the different types – but that will come in time~! ;D_

 _Also, characters from the pokemon anime will make an appearance! Hollis is one of the very few original characters; apart from him, you'll see a lot of familiar faces in upcoming chapters!_

 _I hope you enjoyed! And if you did, please review! It means a lot and it really encourages me to keep writing._

 _Until next time!_


	2. Contracts & Gods

_May opened her eyes._

 _The black beast stood above her, fangs bared and mouth agape in a twisted snarl; she felt hot breath tickle her hair, and saw the smeared crimson on its tongue and teeth. Lua released a feeble growl, still huddled safely in her arms as she lay pressed against the floor._

 _The demon hissed. Stumbling back, she glimpsed a silver arrow wedged deep in its shoulder. Its crimson eyes widened, and for the briefest of seconds it looked her straight in the eye. She caught her own reflection, staring back at her from its dark irises; saw the tears stained on her cheeks, and the unstoppable trembling of her hands._

 _Another arrow hit the demon, this time in the chest. Finally it pulled back, snarling, and quick as lightning it lashed through the wall, passing through as though it were nothing but air. All that was left was the thick blood smearing the walls, and the familiar pitter-patter of the rain on the roof._

 _May didn't realize how hard she'd been holding her breath. Finally she exhaled, her rapid heartbeat beginning to slow._

* * *

"… _Joint suicide…"_

" _What a shame…"_

" _It really is a tragedy."_

 _Police sirens blaring, and harsh onlookers sharing hushed gossip between one another, May tried not to catch the eyes of those watching. Those whom were once her neighbors and friends now stared at her as if she had just committed a terrible crime; some held pity in their gaze, whilst others looked disgusted._

 _She wanted to yell at them. All of them. They didn't know the truth._

 _Her…her parents hadn't committed suicide._

 _She knew they hadn't._

 _Burying her nose deeper into Lua's fur, May desperately attempted to forget the world; this had to be a dream. Soon enough she'd wake up, and her mother and father would be standing over her, smiling warmly, chiding her that it was time for breakfast and that she really had to stop sleeping in…_

 _She choked back a sob._

" _May."_

 _Slowly she looked up._

 _And shivered._

 _It was the only other witness to the event – the only other one whom had seen the demon. The lady who had shot those arrows straight at it; in many ways this woman was her savior, though she hardly felt like one._

 _Why wasn't she telling the police the truth? Surely they'd believe her._

" _I'm so sorry…about what happened to your parents." Kneeling down, she flashed a smile. "I was your mother's sister. You mightn't have heard of me – we weren't exactly close. But – I always promised her that I'd look after you if something were ever to happen to her."_

 _May looked away._

" _Um…here." She pulled out a photo; on it were three smiling faces. One face caught May's eye – a silver-haired man, cigar hanging from his mouth, and green eyes shining brightly. "That's my boyfriend, Hollis. You'd like him. Oh! And that's a…well, a friend of ours, I suppose you could say. Ash. He's the same age as you. I'm sure you'll get along just fine."_

" _Why didn't you tell them?"_

 _May couldn't help it; clenching her fists, she glared at the woman with all the anger she could muster. "You saw it too! You saved me! So why didn't you tell the police the truth!"_

 _The woman seemed taken aback. "I-It isn't as easy as that-"_

" _Why not? You're an adult! They'd believe you! M-My parents were killed by that demon! You know that, right? What I saw…its real, isn't it?"_

 _The woman's shoulders drooped. For a while she remained quiet, staring at May with an unreadable expression. Then, with a solemn sigh, she nodded._

" _Yes. It's true."_

" _Then why-"_

 _Suddenly she pressed a cold hand to May's forehead. "My, my. You're running a fever. We really do need to get you home." Pulling herself up, she extended a hand. "Come on. Now's not the time for explanations."_

 _May sniffed. She desperately wanted to argue further – she needed to know – but weariness weighed down her heart, and in many ways she just wanted to sleep and sleep and sleep – to forget all that had happened, to erase it straight from her mind, and to be back with her parents within her dreams._

 _She grasped the woman's hand._

* * *

"May…"

"No good. She's knocked out!"

"Aw darn. At this rate she's gonna fail her finals…"

 _Just a few more minutes…or…another five hours…_

"MAY!"

Something like a fist hit May's head, and she awoke with a startled yelp. Lurching upwards, before she could even begin to recover her forehead connected with Dawn's.

"Ouch!" Dawn stumbled back, eyes wide and rubbing her temple. "Jeez, May, that hurt!"

"H-Huh…?" For a split second everything seemed foreign and strange; the blurry faces of her friends before her, the looming blackboard up front, the teacher organizing her work space…

And then things zoomed into focus.

"H-huh? When did I get here?"

Misty had to stifle a giggle. "Duh! We walked to school together! Don't you remember?"

Mind bogged down by exhaustion, and brain aching with the onset of a headache, May placed a finger to her chin. _Oh right…_

She vaguely recalled tossing and turning all night, mind filled with the bills she had to pay and that damn demon that had gotten away and –

And then finally admitting that she wasn't going to get any sleep tonight, and deciding to work the rest of the night-time hours on her sword technique.

"Heheh." Sheepishly, May scratched the back of her head and glanced down at the floor. "Yeah. Last night I worked late at the theater y'know. So…now just seemed like the perfect time to take a little nap."

Suddenly she became aware of the throbbing bump on her head. Iris stood beside her, frowning, hand curled into a fist. "School isn't a place for sleep! Keep this up and you're going to fail your exams. You have no idea how hard I worked to tutor you; you can't let it all go to waste now!"

Dawn sighed. "There she goes again. Iris, lay off. You know May has that job at the movie theater. She's just tired."

Iris shot Dawn a poisonous glare, her cheeks puffed out in an almost pathetically childish pout. "You'd be mad too if you had to pull all-nighters trying to tutor this girl! Last time she barely scored above 50%! You know how bad that is?"

"C'mon guys." Misty glanced between Dawn and Iris, shivering slightly at the crackling atmosphere between the two. "Now isn't the time to fight. Let's just…get along!"

As their bickering faded to the background, May couldn't help sighing. This was getting ridiculous.

In a way Iris was right; if she kept falling asleep during school hours she'd definitely fail her finals. But between assuming adult responsibility, Demon hunting and balancing a job at her local movie theater, school just seemed like the least of her worries nowadays.

 _I guess I just have to study harder…_ The thought of more late-night studies, tutored by the passionate Iris, was enough to make her groan.

"Students…Students…!" The quiet voice of the teacher tried desperately to rise above the idle gossip of the students. Finally she slammed a ruler hard against the blackboard. "Students!"

The class snapped to attention. At once Dawn and Misty took their seats, Iris at the back. Up front the teacher looked upon her class with a blank expression, seeming just as tired – if not more – than May. "We have a transfer student today," she drawled, "now I want you to be nice. He's not from around here and he's transferring very late in the year. So…let him join one of your cliques. Or something. You can come in now!"

The door opened.

May yawned, eyes closed and head pressed close to her desk; maybe, just maybe, she could catch a few more winks…

"Wow. He's cute," she heard Dawn whisper.

"Don't let Paul hear you say that!" laughed Misty in reply.

"What? It's just the truth!"

"Huh…?"

May lazily opened her eyes.

Her breath caught.

No.

No way.

No way in hell.

Immediately she sprung upright in her seat.

It…it wasn't possible. It couldn't be.

There before her was the very same demon from the shrine. Minus his demonic features, he looked like just a normal, everyday teenager.

From his grassy hair and baggy clothes, to his sharp red eyes and cocky smirk – no, no, she had to be mistaken. Maybe it was just a bizarre coincidence. Yeah – it had to be that. What else could it be?

But…she could never forget that face.

Her knuckles tightened.

The boy walked to the very front of the class, every step poised and confident. "Well now," yawned the teacher, "why don't you introduce yourself?"

He smiled, that same cocky smile he'd flashed her atop the shrine. As if he thought himself the greatest gift to mankind. "Hey. My name's Drew Hayden. Nice meeting ya." As if to add to his sickening charm he pulled a rose from his pocket, and handsomely threw it at a girl in the front desk. She caught it, blushed, and hastily looked away. Drew chuckled.

"Very nice," the teacher muttered; "now then…where should you sit."

 _Oh God please._

May's eyes slid to the empty desk beside there, as if conveniently placed there by the power of some anime cliche.

 _I beg of you, I'll never doubt your existence again if you do me this one favor…! Please don't have him sit next to me!_

"Oh. There. Besides uh…the girl with the red bandanna-thing." The teacher pointed straight at May. "There's an empty desk beside her. You can sit there – um…your name again?"

Before he could reply, the girl whom had caught his rose looked dreamily at him. "His name is Drew."

"Right…Oh, and Drew! It's your first day so I'll let you off. But tomorrow, you cannot come to school with contacts. Um – school policy and all."

Drew threw her a strange glance. Cocking his head, he said, "contacts…? What're those?"

The class laughed.

If the teacher were actually someone whom cared about her job she may have reacted harshly to his statement. Instead, stifling another yawn, she shrugged. "Whatever. Just don't come to school with them tomorrow."

As Drew strode past the teacher, May tried to desperately shrink even further beneath her desk. _God, you have forsaken me._

But another thought pressed heavily on her mind – just what was he doing here?

As he came closer, she could feel the slight, sinking ebb of his presence; it wasn't as strong as when he was in his half-demon form, although it was still unmistakable. She felt the familiar itch in her palm; the desire to materialize her weapon, slice it right through his chest, exterminate him then and there –

"May right?"  
She met his dark, glowering red eyes. For a moment the two paused, glaring, trying desperately to search for something, anything, in each other's faces.

Then Drew smirked, and from his bag he pulled another rose.

"I do hope we get along."

"Aww," Dawn swooned behind her.

The entire class was looking.

She didn't want to take anything of his. He could have his stupid rose.

But –

Suppressing a grimace, May forced herself to swallow her disgust. No. She wouldn't make a scene in front of the class.

Instead she forced the slightest of smiles.

"Yeah. Let's."

As Drew took his seat beside her, and class began, she couldn't help sneaking another glance at the boy.

Maybe…maybe it was just a coincidence? Maybe she was just being paranoid?  
Drew caught her eye.

And then, with a twisted grin, he flipped his bangs and flashed her a venomous glare.

May quickly turned away.

Under her desk, she squeezed the rose in her hands.

The stem snapped.

* * *

She knew that, in human form, demons could be seen by normal humans. She understood that many whom had taken to possessing bodies often used this as a means of walking around the human world, taking note and scouting for a victim. She'd dealt with a few of those before. After all, there were demons everywhere – both in the Spirit Realm, and her reality.

But never before had she encountered a demon at her school.

"That mysterious transfer student is so cool!" gasped Misty, "if I weren't already in a relationship, I'd so be a part of his fanclub!"

"Me too," swooned Dawn, "those cool red contacts…and his red roses to match! I think I'm in love!"

"Guys," snapped Iris, exasperated, "we're meant to be studying! Keep the boy drool for later, kay?"

They were sitting outside in the schoolyard, Iris aggressively speeding through homework and Misty and Dawn looking all starry-eyed as they gossiped about the newest transfer student.

" _Let's get along."_

May scowled.

"So what do you think of him?" Dawn was looking at her expectantly, eyes narrowed and a sly glint alight in her orbs.

"What do you mean?" May muttered, gulping down the last of her sandwich.

"You know…I think he might be into you, if ya know what I mean."

"I don't, actually."

"Ugh! You're so dense! C'mon, May, you're the last of us who's single! You gotta start dating someone."

"Ahem." Iris glanced up from her math sheet. "Need I remind you that I'm single too."

"You don't count. I mean, let's be real. You're practically married to your homework."

"Just because I want to succeed and get into a good university doesn't mean I won't ever snag a guy. I'm just…waiting is all."

Misty giggled. "Waiting for senpai to notice you?"

Iris blushed. "S-Shut up!"

"Anyway." Dawn turned back to May, whom was idly trying to mess with her hair. Damn it – she thought their silly argument had allowed her to escape an awkward conversation. "Maybe you should ask him out? You'll have to do it before his fanclub does though!"

"Ah. Yeah, no thanks. I think I'm good."

"Why not?" asked Misty.

 _Well, apart from the fact that he is certainly no human – and that he's a self-righteous ass who probably – no, definitely - needs an attitude check…_ "Yeah, he's just not my type."

Iris happily clapped. "Good going! You've got to focus on getting better grades anyway!"

"Yeah," May added, "that too."

"Fine." Dawn rolled her eyes. "At least I tried."

As Iris, Misty and Dawn continued their gossip and idle bickering, May felt herself once again lost in her own little world.

That demon…

Perhaps if she cornered him somewhere quiet. Then she could finish the job, and they could all move happily on with their lives.

But –

Why her school of all places? What was he planning? He knew she was a Hunter, so what? He didn't seem at all surprised to see her in class…Was there something she didn't know? Was he just messing with her?

 _Ugh! Damn it all!_

She was going to exterminate that demon! But not before tearing some answers from him!

* * *

School couldn't have gone any slower that day.

Throughout every class Drew was there, flipping his bangs and tossing roses at every attractive female he met. At lunch May stalked after him, keeping at a safe distance; every time he looked at a human she was expecting something to happen. Anything. Maybe for him to possess a new body, or – or to bring some sort of catastrophe that demons were known for causing.

Nothing happened though.

It was as if…he was trying to be a normal teen boy.

"So! We've taken to stalking now, have we?"

May scrambled back, eyes wide. Before her stood Dawn, hand covering her mouth, desperately trying to cover up the fact that she was laughing her heart out (though failing miserably at it). "Jeez May! There's nothing wrong with having a little crush!"

"I-I told you, I don't like him! At all! I'm just…"

"Just watching him dreamily from a distance?"  
 _Just trying to protect you all,_ she almost snapped in reply, though quickly she managed to bite her tongue and keep herself quiet.

"Whatever, whatever," Dawn sighed, wiping tears of joy from her eyes, "keep telling yourself that. I'm here though, if you ever need any advice."

Lunch passed without so much as an injury. And so, by the end of the school day, as teens were packing their bags and preparing to walk home together, May saw her chance.

Drew was staring, fascinated, at the pile of homework the teacher had given him. The closer May walked the more she wanted to be sick; that swampy aura that surrounded him made her stomach roil.

"Hey," May said. He looked up, and smirked.

"Hey. Want to walk home together?"

Her eyes widened. He'd taken the words right out of her mouth.

From the corner of her eye she saw Misty and Dawn strike a triumphant pose. "Go for it!" they mouthed.

 _They're never going to let this go, aren't they?_

"Sure," May replied. "I wouldn't want you to get lost on the way. By the way, where do you live?"

Maybe it was just her imagination, but May swore she caught a spark of annoyance alighting in his red eyes.

"I'm…around. I think you know where though."

"Yeah." May smiled, though this time it was a genuine one. "I'm pretty sure I do."

As they walked out of class, almost seeming like a couple by how close in proximity they were, Iris, Dawn and Misty looked on from their seats.

"Wow," Dawn sighed, "there's so much sexual tension between those two!"

"Really?" Iris said, "Because it kinda looks like they're being passive aggressive to me."

"Oh, Iris, I know these things! They're in love!"  
Iris rolled her eyes, and resumed speeding through her English work. "Whatever. May better not forget to study though! Jeez, she's such a kid!"

* * *

They walked in silence for a long while, both unsure in the direction they were heading although May naturally took the lead. Soon the sun was dipping just beyond the faraway mountains, smearing the horizon bruised purple and sharp crimson. Streaks of waning light reached out from the last remnants of the sun, shimmering serenely in the dying sunlight of the sky.

May turned down an alley. A rat scrambled out from the gloom, and she could hear a cat hiss as a garbage pan clattered to the ground. Deep shadows washed over her feet, and discarded rubbish crackled underfoot with every step. The city was never a clean place to visit.

"I know who you are," she finally said, turning around to face Drew. He stood silhouetted by the sunset, his eyes gleaming a darker red than ever before.

He grinned. "Oh, I know you do."

"So…why? Why did you come to my school?" She pressed a hand to the alley's wall, and felt the chipped texture and slimy mold beneath her palm. She swept her hand away, and from thin air sparked her weapon. A long, double-edged sword stretched out, a muddied grey and brown, miraculously formed of brick and wood. She grasped her hands tightly around the hilt, and pointed the blade right at Drew's chest. "You just want to mess with me? Is that it?"

He snorted at that, and jumped back a foot; quickly he flipped in mid-air, and when he landed he looked exactly as he did up on the shrine; with his curling horns and lashing, arrow-hooked tail. "Please. Not everything revolves around you." From his pocket he pulled another rose and held it to his nose. "No," he sighed, "I just want to observe your kind. That's all."

May felt her muscles bunch; she strode quickly forward, never faltering with the grip on her sword, never taking her eyes off his. "Don't joke. You're a demon. You can't help yourself. Everything you do is cloaked in evil."

"Ah, really? What a shame. And I thought humans were rather interesting."

May paused. "Interesting?"

"You are such a strange breed. Forgive me if I wanted to learn more about your species." Shrugging, Drew tossed the rose to the ground; rats squealed and scurried as it landed in the shadows.

This was…weird. Shaking her head, May poised herself. No – he was lying to her. Demons were only interested in the destruction they could cause; they were not…not…

She bit her lip.

"You know," said Drew, with another obnoxious flip of his bangs, "you say that I'm nothing more than a demon. But by that logic then you are definitely no human."

"W-What are you saying?"

"You know what I mean." He began to circle her, frowning slightly, as if he was attempting to analyze her. "You can see us in our demon forms. You walk between two realms. You have abilities and gifts that are nothing short of the supernatural." He stopped right in front of her, closer than ever before. "I might be a demon, but you are definitely no human."

There was a flash of brown; blood spurted, a clean cut running right across Drew's cheek. The clunky sword dropped back by May's side.

"Take that back."

"Excuse me?"

She lashed out with her sword. It slashed through the air, slicing clean through where Drew once stood. Skidding back, Drew swiped his hand over the concrete and before him, in a flash of gleaming silver, appeared his blood red katana.

May's eyes were blazing. For a second everything was blurry, as tears muddied her vision and blended all the colors and shapes together in one big mess.

She…she wasn't a monster.

She blinked away the tears, and jutted out her chin. "I'm nothing like you," she said, and much to her rage she couldn't keep the trembling out of her voice.

"No," sighed Drew. "No, you're much, much worse."

He leaped; red flashed before her eyes, and May spun out of the way just as he crashed to the ground. He tripped, and May lunged forward, just as Drew regained himself and held up his katana.

Their weapons met, and sparked. Drew held back, as May pressed further and further forward, her shoulders shaking, and her face burning, but never once relaxing her grip. The demon glanced about, before finally releasing his katana. Fast, he twisted out of the way just as May lost her balance and stumbled forward. Her sword nicked through thin air and fell clattering to the concrete.

Something smashed into her back, and a startled scream escaped her throat. Drew stood above her, eyes shining, chest heaving, looking upon the Hunter now sprawled on the ground.

"Huh…so that's it? You give up?" He poked her shoulder.

"Come on. I thought Hollis trained you. I'd expect more from his apprentice."

Still May said nothing. Drew huffed. Slowly he walked to her front, and kneeled down to pick up his katana. As his hands closed around the hilt, he caught a subtle movement out of the corner of his eye. Something blurred silver flew right past his gaze –

"H-Huh?"

May smiled. "You should know that a Hunter never gives up without a fight."

She shakily rose to her feet, wiping the blood off her skinned shins. Drew clenched his jaw and tried to rise to his feet to meet her; only to flinch and stagger back down, his shoulders shaking and his hands trembling violently.

Wedged deep in his shoulder was a bright, sharpened blade.

Black blood dripped down its sheen hilt.

He swallowed and tried to scramble back. This time there was no cockiness in his eyes; when May looked at him now all she could see was terror, so vivid, so bright that…

 _He looked like her._

No – no, she didn't want to even think of it.

 _He looked like her when her 12 year old self had stared that demon right in its red eyes. When she'd thought she was as good as dead._

" _You're no human,"_ he'd said, _"you're worse."_

Why…why did he have to look afraid? None of the other demons had.

She kneeled down to pick up her sword. Her heart was pounding in her ears, the blood draining from her cheeks.

She'd do it. For mom and dad and Hollis…it was her job.

One less demon in the world made earth just a slightly better place.

She pointed the blade right at his chest. She felt herself tremble slightly, as she felt the sword press against skin.

And he looked…he looked so human…

He glared at her. "What are you waiting for? Go on. Do it."

She gritted her teeth.

Raised the sword right above her head.

…

And there it was again.

That same shadow that had fallen upon them at the shrine.

Her eyes darted to the sky. Perched upon the tall building, horns curling from its head, bones' jutting from ragged feathers was that demon.

"Don't move." She almost forgot who Drew was for a second, and obeyed his command.

The bird tilted its head.

"Okay…listen to me. That…that demon isn't just any demon. That's a God of Death."

"Yeah…Yeah, I know that," May whispered back.

"I can get you out of here. But we're going to have to work together-"

"Like that'll ever happen."

"Fine." His eyes glinted. "Stay here and fight it then. But I know that that particular God has a pretty big hatred when it comes to Hunters."

The bird shifted again. Its eyes grazed over May and came to rest on Drew.

It screeched.

"Run!"  
Drew stumbled to his feet and grasped her wrist in his hands. And then they were running. May heard a mighty flap of wings, and another screech. The shadow fell upon them again. Skidding around the corner, Drew looked from left to right, panic written all over his face.

"W-Wait, this way!" May pulled him out of the alley and right around to an apartment door. She crashed against it, only to yelp as at that moment the door swung open.

"What the-"

"Sorry!" She raced inside, Drew limping after her. The man stared at the girl curiously, and then peeped outside, though he could see nothing of what she was running from.

"What is this place?" Drew muttered, as they navigated the run-down halls and filthy lounges.

"Oh…one of those really cheap apartment blocks. Uh, where do you think? Down below or to the top?"

Drew flinched, hand grasping the knife still wedged deep in his shoulder blade. "Why ask me? You're the one who brought us in here."

"Better than running stupidly outside."

"It'll find us. A few walls can't stop a demon God."

 _I know that._ They came to the top of a staircase, breathing heavy by this point, eyes watering from the sheer exhaustion of it all.

 _Damn it, Hollis…Why aren't you here when I really need you most?_

Maybe Hollis could take on a demon God. He wouldn't be able to kill it, but at least he could provide some sort of distraction or something; he was a Grade A- Hunter after all. And she was only a feeble Grade C. She'd barely be able to scrape the thing.

Drew collapsed against the walls, his breathing even more ragged than before. May sneaked a good look at him; he was far from the cocky demon he'd portrayed himself to be now. She almost felt sorry for him.

And…

In a way…he'd kind of saved her life.

In a really small, insignificant kind of way.

All her instincts urged her against it, but her heart said otherwise; cautiously she knelt down besides Drew, and felt around the knife dug deep in his skin. She frowned.

"I never had to use these before...They're more powerful than Hollis said they are."

The knives were made especially for Hunters; unusable by demon hands, and incredibly scalding and painful when coming into contact with demon skin. May had been warned against relying on the knives too much, though she had no idea why.

"Here." With a small huff of defeat she grasped the hilt and pulled. Drew choked on air and kicked back. "Stay still! You're making it even worse."

Finally the knife slipped out; slick black blood dripped from the blade, evaporating at once upon touching the floor.

Drew placed a hand to the wound. Already it was beginning to heal.

"Huh. And I thought I was as good as dead."

"One wrong move and you are…" May strode to the window and peeped out the foggy glass. She couldn't see the bird. She forced down a sigh of relief – now was not the time to be getting relaxed.

"Look," turning to face Drew again, she already saw him climbing to his feet, "I don't care what your deal is. When that demon is no longer a threat you can consider us enemies again."  
"But for now you need my help." There it was. His trademark smirk. His attitude wasted no time in making a comeback.

"You could probably take it on better than I could. Maybe together we…"

"Yeah, no. That's a God of Death. I think I've pissed it off enough for one day."

She narrowed her eyes. "So wait. It's after you?"

He shrugged and turned casually away. "Perhaps. But make no mistake – I wasn't lying when I said it hates Hunters."

A minute wore on, painfully long and achingly slow. The ticking of the clock sounded as loud as the clang of gongs; one second, two seconds, three seconds, four seconds, five…

"Maybe it's gone," she finally said, to break the painful silence.

Drew sighed. "That thing never leaves me alone. It's a wonder I managed to escape it yesterday."

"So why is it after you?"  
He waved his hand dismissively at May. "That's my business and mine alone."

"I think I have a right to know what I've been dragged into!"  
"It's not my fault you attacked me in the alley. If you'd just walked home like normal we wouldn't be in this mess."

Another awkward silence fell upon the two, this one more tense and harsh than the other before. May began pacing and Drew kept gazing out the window, eyes scanning the sky for any sign of the God of Death.

"Is it true?" As May paced, she couldn't rid her mind of that one, insignificant question – "are you really fascinated by people?"

Drew sighed. "Is this really the time?"

"I've just…never heard of a demon like that before."

He turned his eyes back to the window. "Yeah, well," he muttered, "we exist." For a moment all was quiet once again.

Suddenly Drew lurched away from the window.

"It's here. Come on."

May's heart skipped a beat.

She pressed herself back against the stairway, Drew standing right beside her, his katana drawn and her sword poised and pointed right before her.

She wouldn't die lying down.

No. She wouldn't die at all.

She'd be damned if a demon would be the reason for her death.

The beak appeared first, followed by the lean head and beady red eyes; the creature practically seemed to melt through the windows, its feathers ruffling in a cool, non-existent wind as it finally came to perch before the two.

May clenched her teeth. She wouldn't be scared. She'd fight.

"Hey," by her side Drew shot her a cautious glance, "I have an idea."

At once paranoia seized her heart. "Yeah, like what? Use me as bait and run off while it's distracted?"

He rolled his eyes at that. Then, with a decisive slice of his katana, he slashed the palm of his hand.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

The creature lunged forward. Before May could react she felt something firm grasp her wrist; pain exploded from her palm as his katana sliced through paper-thin skin. She tried to pull away – as quick as a flash, Drew shoved her aside and leapt to the air.

The bird went crashing down the stairway. It turned around, red eyes burning with hate, only to scream as Drew slashed down with his katana.

He buried his sword deep into its feathered, bony back. Again the God of Death screeched, and lunged. Drew dropped to the ground, and the bird missed him by a millisecond. Its beak stabbed at empty air.

May stumbled to her feet, eyes wide; Drew was backing slowly away, as the bird turned to its back and seized the katana in its beak. It gave one, steady pull; Drew's weapon fell out. It didn't even leave a mark.

When it turned back to face Drew its eyes caught another figure running forward; silver sparked, and at once the bird jolted back with a scream. In its chest wedged the knife. With one mighty wing it struck the two on their sides, and sent them crashing into the wall.

"N-Now!" The bird was stumbling around, trying desperately to pull the knife from its chest. Drew reached out his hand, black blood still dripping from his clean cut.

In that moment May knew what he wanted.

"No. No, no, no. I – I can't."

"It's the only way!" The bird finally gave up on the knife. Its head twitched and it opened and closed its beak, as if panting heavily. In that exact moment May felt like that little twelve-year old girl again, huddling with Lua under the demon's twisted face, inches from death and paralyzed with fear.

" _Mom…"_

"Now!"  
She didn't want to die.

She grasped his hand with her own.

…

" _Contracts?"_

 _Auntie smiled at her. "That's what we call a blood bond between a human and a demon."_

" _You must never do this," Hollis snapped, with one puff of his cigar. "It is the unbreakable contract between man and spirit. Demons know of this and they may try to tempt you into it. Do not accept. Never accept, no matter the circumstances."_

" _We've encountered Hunters whom have made deals with demons before," Auntie sighed, "and they become so corrupted by darkness…well…"_

" _In the end they might as well be demons themselves."_

" _Oh…"_

 _May glanced between the two, confusion written on her face. That didn't explain a lot. She had so many questions! Like what did the contract entail? Why did it corrupt humans? What did it do to you? She desperately wanted to know – but soon Hollis and Auntie had decided that that was enough of that for one day. They moved on to another lesson, and it was never spoken of again._

* * *

Extra – 0.2

 _A Day In The Life Of Iris_

Iris: My day begins at 5:00am! I get dressed and BAM! Time to study!

Iris: Homework during breakfast, homework during brushing my teeth, homework in the shower, homework on the bus…You get my drift. By the time I'm at school I'm as good as done!

Iris: My friends are always teasing me about it, but I like to think of myself as the mature one of the group. Also, there's no way in hell I'm gonna be upstaged by that pompous Georgia!

Iris: So yeah! That's my day and I'd say it's pretty fun!

Dawn: I think you're leaving out one important detail…

Iris: Oh yeah? What's that?  
Misty: We all know of that wonderful senpai of yours that you just love to follow aro-

Misty: Ouch!

Iris: I-Idiot! It's not like I love him or anything! I just happen to admire his intelligence, that's all!

Dawn: Suuurreee you do. That's why I always catch you blushing whenever he notices you-

Dawn: Ouch!

 _May's friends are often bickering amongst each other. Though don't be fooled – they've all actually been friends since childhood!_

 _Oh, and Iris has a penchant for conking people whenever she gets mad. She's a lot stronger than her small stature would let on!_

* * *

 _A/N- Thank you for reading the second chapter of –Pact-! It means a lot, and seeing your follows and reviews really brightened my day! This chapter was longer than the last, but there's a lot more to write and the main plot is starting to reveal itself. I sincerely hope this chapter is good; I ended up speedwriting it at night haha!_

 _Just to avoid confusion, the –Extras- I include at the end are just silly little scenes I'd like to add in the story, but have no place for. Think of them as really short, random character moments._

 _Lola – I agree! There aren't many supernatural contestshipping fanfictions – at least, not many that I've found. The supernatural is a fun genre to write for me. I'm glad you enjoyed the first chapter! Thank you for your review!_

 _Scriptress – Your review made my day! I'm so glad you enjoyed the first chapter and I dearly hope this one lives up to expectation. Thank you so much for your kind review, it really meant a lot!_

 _Every follow and review is awesome! It inspires me to write, and it's also a fantastic way for me to get feedback from you! Have constructive critique? A question? Just want to leave a short comment? Anything can be included in a review, so don't be shy and feel free to leave one!_

 _Thank you for reading!_


	3. Contractors & Lies

" _Can I come in?"_

 _May didn't reply. Regardless, the door swung open and her Auntie appeared silhouetted in the waning light of the hallway. Pursing her lips, she took one step forward._

" _Go away." May huddled closer to Lua, whom growled as if in agreement._

" _May…"_

" _I told you. I don't want to see anybody."_

 _Auntie paused, shoulders sagging ever so slightly. She glanced about the room, looking anywhere but May; finally she turned away, briskly walking out the door. "Well…if you need something…"_

 _The door quietly pulled shut behind her. Darkness once again cloaked the room._

 _Lua whimpered._

 _May hugged the puppy even closer, tears dripping down her cheeks. "I told you," she mumbled to herself, "I'm fine."_

 _She was asleep, and yet she was not. She couldn't really tell nowadays. Her bed was so soft, and so warm, and so inviting…closing her eyes, cocooning herself in a ball of muddled blankets, all May wanted to do was forget that the world outside even existed. Here, in her own little bubble, hidden in the deep shadows of her dank little room, May indulged herself with dreams. In her mind they were still together; one quaint, happy family. They were complete._

 _Time passed painfully slow, though May didn't mind._

 _Every second that ticked by was another second to be comforted by her imagination._

" _Get up."_

 _The harsh voice of Hollis startled her from her daze. Drearily May peeked out from her blankets, groaning when she saw the silver haired man._

" _I told you, leave me alone."_

" _Yes, and I have." With one fell swoop he threw some clothes onto her bed. "It's only been three days and yet you've done enough moping for a lifetime."_

 _The comment stung. She untangled herself from her blankets and emerged to glare at the cigar-toting man. "What do you expect?" Even she was surprised by the hoarse harshness possessing her voice. "My parents are dead. I just…I want to be alone."_

 _She squeezed her eyes shut and turned away from the man. Thumping steps sounded on the floorboard. Suddenly, with a surprised yell, she rolled out of her cocoon. Above her stood Hollis, her blankets strewn to the floor beside him._

" _So this is how you want to live? Feeling sorry for yourself?"_

 _Stubborn, May turned her nose up at him. "Maybe, yeah."_

 _Soft folds of fabric fell upon her head. Startling upright, May shook the clothes off and scowled._

" _Here's how I see it. Now you can waste your life away, crying about what happened and dreaming about what could have been. Or –" From his holster he pulled out a gleaming silver gun, "you can work with us and help prevent what happened to you from happening to any other children."_

 _She couldn't help staring at the gun, so bright and with such a thick nozzle that it almost didn't seem real. She glanced again at Lua, who was curled between her feet, snoring softly._

" _I…I miss them."_

" _I know you do." She could almost catch a note of softness in his voice. "So what do you say?" He handed the gun to her. Cautious, May touched its hard metal and felt along its sheen, clean texture._

 _She took the gun from his hands._

 _It fitted perfectly in her palm._

" _I…I don't understand."_

" _Oh don't worry." He flashed her a vibrant smile. "You soon will."_

* * *

 _Blood spatters, echoing screeches, blurred vision, torn dark feathers – and then darkness, a blank hole in her mind, so gaping and empty that it feels like a deadweight weighing down upon her brain –_

May's eyes snapped open.

At once she erupted into a violent coughing fit, her shoulders shaking with every gasp. Lungs burning, heart racing, blood curled and cold, she tried to pin herself upright on her elbows –

Another cough tore at her throat; immediately she collapsed onto her stomach, and placed hot, sticky hands to her chest.

Something was wrong…it…She coughed again, doubling over, this time choking on bitter, stale air. Tears brimmed her eyes, blurring the dark room before her; she tried to crane her neck, hoping to see something, anything that could at least give her some idea of where she was. Her memories were nothing but dark spots flashing before her mind's eye, fuzzy and indistinguishable.

She had to…get up. Again she tried to pull herself upright; something caught on her foot, and she was sent crashing to the floor in a pathetic, jumbled heap.

For a few minutes she simply lay there, gasping for breath. Something warm wet her bottom lip; trembling, she placed a finger there and – pulling it away – saw the unmistakable dark crimson of blood.

Lua barked.

 _Lua._

She wanted to scream for her dog, but her voice was nothing more than a hoarse, scratched whisper.

 _Come on, May. You can't give up now!_

She scrambled to her feet. The ground seemed to wobble in sync with her legs, and when she tried to take a step she ended up whacking her knee into the dining room table.

 _Focus. Calm down._

May closed her eyes. All was breathtakingly still; steadily her heart thumped, and as she timed her breathing the knot in her chest began to uncoil. This time when May opened her eyes she was ready. She limped to the kitchen, using benches and chairs to hold herself aloft.

"L-Lua?"

A flash of brown fur dashed by.

"Lua! C'mere!"

The little dog whimpered.

Gleaming blue eyes glowered at her from beneath the kitchen table. May forced a smile. "Hey, Lua," she whispered, "it's me."

She took one step closer. "Come on, girl…! You must be hungry. I'm sorry…I'm really, really-"

Brown fur hurtled out; she stumbled back as the dog raced past her, growling all the way. Something crashed in the next room. Lua barked, again.

May suddenly had the sinking sensation that she was not alone.

She staggered out of the kitchen and into the main hall. Twisting into her nearest bathroom, May silently closed the door behind her and clicked the lock.

Her legs immediately gave way. Collapsing against the chipped wall, May gulped in the deepest breath possible, only to be interrupted by yet another sputtering fit.

Okay – okay. She was…she was okay. She just had to keep calm. Panic never got anyone anywhere.

"Ugh…" Still…what had happened the night before?

She vaguely remembered that demon – Drew, he called himself – and…and then being attacked by that Death God. But…

After that everything was one big, confusing blur.

She groaned, running hot fingers back through her sticky hair. A sharp pain cut through the palm of her hand.

Her eyes widened.

Immediately she looked. Already she knew what she was going to see; a fresh wash of terror flooded through her veins, numbing her senses and shocking her blood to ice. That's right.

She remembered.

There, on the palm of her hand, was a thick scar, running from the very bottom of her palm right up to the tip of her index finger.

No. No, no, no, that was just a dream.

She hadn't-

She couldn't of –

Clambering up May stumbled to the sink, turned on the faucet and plunged her hands under icy cold water. The chill nipped at her fingers and soaked into every inch of her submerged bare arms. Finally she pulled away, gasping with relief. Maybe by some miraculous, god given miracle –

No. The scar remained. Of course it did. Water didn't wash away wounds.

But if it was a demon inflicted scar then she should've healed by now. She slammed her hands back into the water, tears streaking down her face and breath coming in short, ragged gasps.

Why wasn't it working?

A glimmer of red caught her eye. Instinctively May looked up, shoulders poised, ready to see the familiar dark orbs of a demon standing behind her. She'd fight. Just because she was weak didn't mean she couldn't hold her own in a battle.

No one was there however.

Although May wished someone was.

All she could see in the mirror was her tired, blood spattered face. Dried blood smeared the edges of her lips and her hollow cheekbones were sunken and ghastly pale. That wasn't what scared her though.

Her right eye shone a deep crimson, as red as the damned rose petals that demon Drew would fancily throw about.

"N-No…"

She faltered back, until she was pressed right up against the wall.

She blinked.

Her eye remained as red as the dried blood on her cheeks.

"Please…"

" _We've no other choice."_

She remembered him extending his own sliced hand, taking her slashed palm in his.

The initiative to a bloodbound contract.

She'd done it. The one thing a Hunter was cursed never to do, and yet here she was – one eye as red as a demon's, palm scarred and face a mess of bruises and blood.

She'd…failed.

Her mom, her dad, Hollis, Auntie…all her friends at school, all the people in the city…

All of them she'd sworn to protect, from the demons that preyed on the weak and fed on the vulnerable.

And now here she lay, bound by fatal contract to one.

She'd betrayed them in the worst way possible.

May choked back a sob. Her throat was raw and ached with every sharp breath, and yet she couldn't help it; soon the tears were flowing, wetting the dried blood smeared on her face and dripping like solemn raindrops onto the cold bathroom floor.

" _Now, now, May. The time you spend moping is time wasted on coming up with a solution."_

Her eyes cracked open slightly. Hollis had once said that to her, when she'd refused to leave her room and participate in training.

…She hated his wisdom sometimes. It was too harsh. And also too true.

Because…if it was possible to be bound by a contract to a demon…then maybe there was also a way to unbind it?

 _Break the contract._

Suddenly May struggled to her feet.

 _Of course…Drew!_

She sprung up and was clattering out the bathroom door in a second. For a few moments adrenaline masked the pain in her arms and legs; hurtling around a corner, she came to rest in the middle of the hallway, breathing heavily.

"D-Drew?"

The wiry curls of Lua's brown fur flickered past. The little dog halted at the very end of the hallway, lips curled back in a dreadful snarl.

"Lua…?"

The dog barked at the mere mention of her name. May peeked over her shoulder; no one was there. Glancing back at Lua she felt her heart sink.

"No…no, no, Lua, it's me." Lua took two cautious steps back, baby blue eyes opened wide. May's knees buckled. She collapsed to the floor, her shoulders trembling and mouth turned dry.

It was one thing to see that red eye, and the scar on her palm…but for Lua, her precious companion, to be absolutely terrified of her presence?

That was almost too much to bear.

"Hey."

Lua yelped and scrambled away.

The owner of the voice…May wasn't even surprised. Turning her head, she saw the familiar grassy hair and deep red eyes of Drew.

Her lips twisted in a bitter frown.

"Undo it," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Hm?"  
"You heard me!" May placed a hand to the wall and shakily managed to rise to her feet. Despite her quivering, she found herself bunching her shoulders and curling her hands into fists. "You have to break it. Now!"

"You have to admit that if it weren't for the contract we'd both be dead right now. I kinda saved your life."

"I don't care." A boiling fury bubbling from the pit of her stomach right up to the top of her throat, brimming the edges of May's vision in a blurry, furious red. "Break the damn contract. I don't care how, just do it!"  
Drew stumbled back, just as May's eyes closed and she toppled forward, collapsing into his chest. "H-Hey," he muttered, gently pushing her away.

It was no good. She was completely, utterly unconscious.

Jeez. This was just what he needed. It was bad enough that they were bound together in the first place…now he was practically taking up the roll of babysitter.

"Gosh you're hopeless." He absently brushed the hair from her face, feeling the icy cold prickle of her skin. _Push yourself anymore and you're bound to end up hurting yourself._

Despite his annoyance, Drew couldn't help smiling.

* * *

"It's unbreakable, isn't it?"

The blankets wrapped around May's shoulders did little to keep her warm. Next to her Drew held a cup of hot coffee in his hands. He stared, fascinated, at the drink, as if he wasn't quite sure what he was supposed to do with it.

"That's the general consensus," he muttered, taking a small sip. "Hey, this isn't half bad. No wonder humans go crazy for it."  
May shot him a sleepy glare. "That's probably because you drowned what little coffee I had in sugar."

Drew didn't seem to notice her snide comment. "Look," he added, "I want to break the contract just as much as you. But…"

"There has to be a way!" May desperately tried to swallow her rising panic; she couldn't face Hollis and Ash and all her friends this way. "Maybe there's some sort of…I dunno…something that can end this!"

"Do you know about the contract?" Drew's question caught her by surprise. He was looking deadly serious at her now. "Did your mentor teach you anything about it?"

 _Not exactly…_ All Hollis and Auntie had taught her was how forbidden she was to make one. She squeezed her hands around her own cup of coffee until her knuckles turned white.

"Number 1 – Demons and Hunters who make a contract are bound by blood for the rest of their lives. Pain inflicted upon one will hurt the other; the life energy that one has can be used by the other, and vice versa."

"That's why I was so weak when I woke up, right?" sighed May. Drew nodded.

"We can borrow each other's energy, but the one we borrow from will often end up sick and weak."

That explained why she felt so terrible this morning. Even now her thumping headache was almost drowning out Drew's voice, and her thumping heart seemed to weigh heavily down in her chest.

"Number 2," he continued, "humans whom make the contract are forever bound by blood to the demonic realm. In many ways they can be considered half-demon."

 _Great. A Hunter who's half-demon. That's a laugh._

"Finally," said Drew, "Number 3 – a contract is unbreakable; once made, it cannot be undone in any way, shape or form. The human/demon pair live out the rest of their lives in close proximity, until either one or the other is killed. That's the three major points. I can't believe your mentor didn't tell you about them."

"He probably just wanted to protect me." Still, the fact that Hollis hadn't told her all that was strange; he had always been a bit of a secretive person, but secrets this big were something she thought he would definitely trust within her.

"That God of Death…" Drew suppressed a grimace. "I managed to chase it away, but it's definitely coming back. Damn, and I swore I wouldn't get in anymore trouble."

So it seemed even Drew was dealing with his own problems. Glancing at him, May desperately wanted to be angry – to punch him in the face, to hit him, to take her anger and blame and guilt out on someone – however she couldn't even muster up the will to glare. She was just tired. Achingly, painfully tired.

If anything she was mad at herself. That she'd agreed to such a contract was all her fault, in a way. Maybe if she'd just fought back, even if it killed her – maybe it would've been better that way.

 _Hollis…Hollis, maybe you know something._

May stood up. Drew watched her, all the while sipping at his coffee.

"I'm going out," she announced. "You just – stay put. Don't touch anything, don't eat anything, don't – well, don't do anything. At all. Alright."

He shrugged. "Suit yourself. I'll just mess around the house for a bit."

May scowled. "I told you – don't do anything. And don't think we're suddenly friends either. When I sort this issue out then you can be sure that you'll be the first demon I exterminate."

"Oh I believe you." He smirked and lay back against the couch. "But don't think I'll go down as easy as last time. I'm not going to fall for that knife trick again."

They both smiled at each other; competitive, testing, unfriendly smiles – but smiles nonetheless.

* * *

Knocking on the door, May hung back with a nervous frown. She'd washed her face and had a blue contact in her right eye – although she knew that wouldn't fool Hollis. Telling him everything…

God, he scared her.

The door opened. Silhouetted in the doorway was none other than Ash.

He grinned when he saw her.

"May! It's been so long! Come in!"  
He went to grasp her wrist to pull her inside, when May abruptly pulled back. "S-Sorry," she muttered, when Ash threw her a confused glance. "I'm not here to chat though. Are Hollis and Auntie home?"

"No. They went out on a job. Is everything okay? You look unwell…"

May paused. Although Ash was a fellow hunter like herself, she didn't exactly want to burden him with her troubles. Besides, what would he know?

Another idea popped into her head; this one was dumb, and incredibly out of left field, but before she knew what she was doing May was rolling with it.

"I heard there's a Contracted Hunter around here!" she exclaimed.

Ash's eyes widened. "Huh?"

"Yeah…I heard about it from some other Hunters. Apparently a Human recently made a contract with a demon…I was wondering if you knew anything about it."

Ash frowned. For a moment May's heart stopped, and she thought he could see past her disguise. But then he broke out into his trademark dopy smile, and at once she relaxed. "You know, funny you say that! Hollis actually encountered a Contracted Hunter just a few days ago. He tried to exterminate him, but he got away."

"Wait, where was this?"

"Hmm…on 5th Avenue. I think. Why? Don't tell me you're thinking of exterminating him yourself?"

"W-What? No, no, just…just curious."

"Yeah well, don't do anything stupid. We're only Grade C Hunters. Leave the Contractors to the Grade As and above."

"Don't worry," she smiled, and a tinge of a blush warmed Ash's cheeks, "I won't. I just came around with the news so that you know to be careful."

"I'm fine." Embarrassed, he glanced away and sheepishly scratched the back of his neck. "But y'know…living alone and Hunting demons by yourself…you should be more careful than I."

"C'mon, Ash!" She grinned and proudly tried to show off her muscles, though she looked more lanky and lean than anything. "You know that I'm tough! I can handle whatever comes my way."

He laughed. "I hope so."

As she waved goodbye and began to walk away, May couldn't help the familiar churning of guilt swirl at the pit of her stomach. Lying to one of her best friends so easily…this wasn't the kind of person she wanted to become.

But Ash had given her some useful information. A Contracted Hunter had been spotted in the city. Maybe the best person to ask – better than Auntie or Ash or even Hollis – would be this particular person.

* * *

May wrinkled her nose in disgust.

The alley was even dirtier than the one she'd fought Drew in. Gingerly stepping over littered piles of garbage and broken glass, May's eyes scanned the small alleyway for any sign of a demonic shape.

One thing was for sure – there was definitely something nearby.

A few moments passed.

Then, at the very back of the alley, shifted a hulking, strange shape.

May gulped.

She knew at once this was the Contractor Ash had spoken of.

Red eyes flashed from beneath a pile of clothes. He looked like a homeless man; wild beard knotted and practically covering half his face, lying half-drunken on strewn old clothes and garbage bags.

"Hi." May took a cautious step forward, her eyes wide. "M-My name's May."

The man groggily lifted his head.

"I…I'm kind of Contracted too." She hated saying that; she was nowhere near in the same league as this old, half-dead man.

"I was thinking," she continued, when he still didn't reply, "that you can…I don't know. Help me out, or something. You see it was a bit of a mistake. I really want to break the Contract but I'm not sure how. Do you –"

The man stumbled to his feet. May placed a cautious hand to the wall; her legs were still jellylike, and the bones in her arms ached, but if she had to fight then she would.

"Do you maybe know…how to break it?"

He reached out a bony, bloodied arm. May stepped back, eyes wide.

"Please," he gasped, and his voice was so broken and hoarse that May almost couldn't understand him, "please. H-Help."

Something emerged from the wall behind him. Its sheen white head resembled that of a dragon, its hooked beak covering hundreds of pearly white teeth. Its torn, cut wings emerged, followed by a lashing, barbed tail.

The creature hissed when it saw her.

Suddenly the man dropped to his knees. He tore at his chest with uncut nails, eyes squeezed tight and tears of pain streaming down his cheeks. The Demon rose on long, slender legs, red eyes glowing brighter by the second.

 _Oh._

It was…feeding on him.

" _Borrowing life-force,"_ Drew had said, though this didn't look like borrowing at all.

That demon was robbing the man of his very essence.

She yelped; a cold, twisted hand grasped at her shoe, and the man looked up at her with the most pleading, agonizing, tearful eyes.

"Please." She pulled away, and the man tried to drag himself forward. "Don't leave me here."

The demon snarled. It lunged forward.

"I-I'm sorry."

May ran.

* * *

She ran until she had no breath left; she ran until it felt like her bones were about to pop; she ran until her legs violently trembled like jelly, and until tears of exhaustion wet her cheeks; and even when all that happened, even when she was at her limit, she still ran.

She didn't stop until she'd burst through the front door, and slammed it shut behind her. She fell back against the door, gasping for breath, sore throat aching and nausea swirling in her stomach.

Minutes felt like hours; finally, when she'd calmed down and sucked in another precious, grateful gulp of air, May looked about. She didn't think the demon had followed her.

Suddenly Lua sped around the corner; with force she slammed into May's chest, rocking her back on her feet. May smiled and cuddled back. Relief flooded through her veins; at least Lua no longer hated her. In many ways the small dog was all she had left of her parents.

"Hey."

"Ah!"

May jumped back, before relaxing at the sight of Drew. "Jeez, don't sneak up on me like that. You almost gave me a heart attack."

He grinned and pulled out a rose. "Oh? Did my good looks surprise you that much?"

She frowned. "Thanks but no thanks. You can keep your stupid rose."

"Relax! It's for Lua!"

"H-Huh?" Drew directed the rose at the little dog, who stared at it curiously. May couldn't help the blood from rushing to her cheeks. "Yeah well, I don't even think Lua wants anything to do with your stinking roses-"

Lua grasped the rose in her mouth and gave the most bashful, embarrassed smile that a dog could muster.

"Lua?!"  
"See? Even a dog is smitten by me." He flipped his bangs and smirked, as if this was a new record.

"No. I'm sorry, but Lua has class. Right, Lua?"

Lua leaped from her arms to Drew's.

 _Traitor! I thought you hated demons!_

"Hmph. How cute. I guess I can see why humans keep your kind as pets."

May grimaced. Stupid Lua – all because of a damn rose. Even her dog was fooled by the demon's dirty charm.

"Hey – wait a minute! What have you done to my house?"

"Nothing." Lua jumped to the ground and happily circled Drew's legs, the rose still firmly gripped in her mouth, when Drew pulled out a handheld gaming console. "Hey, you know that game where you catch little monsters and make them fight other little monsters? I'm actually pretty damn good at it."

"Idiot! Give that back!"

"Oh yeah, you have some good comics too."

"Don't touch those!"

"I wonder what's on TV?"

"Get off my couch!"

Lua howled; outside the apartment a cat screeched at the noise, and their neighbors thumped on the walls. Much to May's loathing this was going to become her new nightly routine.

"So where am I sleeping tonight?"  
"Just give me a break…"

* * *

 _Extra 0.3_

 _Drew: Wait. So if Pokemon exists in this universe, does that mean that there's more than one Drew?_

 _May: Oh God, I hope not. One of you is more than enough._

 _Drew: I think Lua would beg to differ._

 _Lua: Bark, bark!_

 _May: Traitors…_

* * *

WOOHOO! THE ALL BLACKS WON THE WORLD CUP FINAL!

Sorry! Their victory is what made me write this so soon. Awesome job, All Blacks!

Anyhow thank you for reading chapter 3 of Pact. This chapter is a bit of a rest from the action of the last, and we also get some information on just what the contract entails. Also, don't take the whole 'pokemon exists in this universe' thing seriously; it was just a small reference to the games on my part! (What would we do though if there were two Drew's in this world? I don't think May would be able to handle it!)

If you enjoyed please leave a review! It really brightens my day! Thank you also for all the people who reviewed last chapter, it was awesome to get your feedback.

IrishDreamer – Iris's senpai fetish shall be revealed in good time… ;D

Ready to Fly – Thank you for your kind review! I'm so glad you're enjoying what I've written so far! Your words really made my day!

Lola – May and Drew will be kicking a lot of butts in upcoming chapters, haha!

We'll be meeting some more demons in upcoming chapters. Who will they be? You might find yourself surprised!

Again, thank you for reading! See you next chapter~!


	4. Cats & Cacti

" _Listen to me!"_

 _Something hard snapped May's head; yelping, she darted upright. Hollis stood before the girl, long ruler grasped firmly in hand. She swallowed a scowl and blinked innocently at him. "Yes, sir! Something about…uh…" What had he been talking about again? "…It was about demons, right?"_

 _Hollis sighed. "Honestly, what am I going to do with you?" Wiping the sweat off his brow, he began to pace back and forth, every so often snapping the ruler on the palm of his hand; the echoing whap! made May flinch. "You never pay attention to what I'm saying; you've hardly learned anything in your four weeks of being privately tutored. If you don't start studying…"_

" _I know, I know. You'll have to drop me as a student."_

" _Wrong!" The ruler whipped out, and stopped just inches short of May's nose. "If you don't start putting some effort in then I'll work you harder than you've ever had to work before. You think this is tough? Just wait until you start slacking with me."_

 _May gulped._

" _Alright!" As quick as a flash he smiled and slung the ruler over his shoulder, like a mighty sword; "now then, today we're going to learn about the three different demon forms."_

 _As boring as these lessons were, May definitely did not want to get on Hollis's bad side. She was stressed enough trying to balance school exams with learning to be a Hunter; anymore study and she was convinced that she'd spontaneously combust. "Do you two know what the three forms are?"_

" _I know!" said Ash, his eyes wide with enthusiasm. "There's a full demon form, a half demon form, and their possessed form."_

" _Correct," Auntie said, with a small clap. "The full demon form is a demon's 'original' form. It's what you see most commonly roaming the skies or walking the streets. Normal humans can't see them, but those born with special abilities like us can."_

" _A demon in its full form is a piece of cake," grumbled Hollis, "it's when they take possession of a body that they can be truly dangerous."_

" _When demons possess a body, they can mingle with the human world...not only that, but in most cases the original owner of the body ends up…well…"_

" _As good as dead."_

" _Yeah. That."_

 _A cold silence fell upon the small group; May felt an icy chill sweep through her veins. The thought of demons being among humans, treated by oblivious people as a part of society, was enough to make her feel sick._

" _It's easy to tell a demon in Possession of a body; they have red eyes, and their blood turns black. Most cover up their eyes using contacts, but if you have a keen sense you'll be able to tell by instinct alone if the person you're staring at really is human, or something else."_

" _And the half-demon form…?" May found herself asking._

" _That's when a demon essentially corrupts a Possession. They become unseen by humans, and develop things like horns and wings…think of it as a cross between their original form, and the body they now have a hold of."_

 _Well that sounded unpleasant. May glanced at Ash, whose eyes were practically sparkling like a shoujo manga heroine; she raised an eyebrow and couldn't help pursing her lips. He got way too into Hollis's lectures. Such a teacher's pet._

" _Wait." At that moment something occurred to May. "You said that the original owner of a possessed body is as good as dead. Why is that?"_

 _Hollis and auntie shared a look. With a small shrug Hollis continued on. "If the demon's been in control of the body for longer than a week, then what's left of the human inside is most probably dead anyway." He sighed and glanced again at auntie. "But…there are times when we must face off against a human who has been recently possessed; a human that, if the demon simply left the body, could reclaim their life."_

" _So…what do you have to do?"_

" _Simple. Demons rarely leave of their own accord. So our only choice is to put an end to the life before us."_

 _At first May didn't understand. Put an end to the life…? She furrowed her brow. "That makes no sense."_

" _Simply put, May," said Auntie, "we…euthanize the body. Demons can't possess something that's already dead. If the body they inhabit has a heart that no longer beats, then they're forced to reveal their true form. We then deal with the demon in its original form right then and there."_

 _Oh._

 _So they murdered them._

 _The thought seemed so foreign, so strange, and so unlike the two people before her that at first May thought she'd merely misunderstood. No. Hollis and Auntie weren't like that. Alright, Hollis maybe, but definitely not her kind-natured, sweet-voiced aunt. If there was hope that a possessed human could once again be in control of what was rightfully theirs, she knew auntie would fight until her very last breath for that to happen._

… _Right?_

" _It's the only way," she added gently._

" _Destroy the body," said Hollis, around his thick cigar, "liberate the demon."_

* * *

"Get up. We're going out."

Drew shot her a lazy glare. Lua yawned in reply.

May was practically seething at the two; did they really have nothing better to do than to sit around playing games and reading books all day? Drew was constantly commenting about how 'fascinating' human media was, and Lua was practically glued to his side 24/7.

"What's got you in such a rush?"

"I'll tell you what. I've been working hard trying to find a solution to this contract for three days! I've missed school, work and I'm running on two hours sleep!" At this she tossed a bunch of clothes onto the demon, stifling a sigh as she did so. "I think it's time you earn your keep."

* * *

7:30am.

Perfect.

The warm city air was bustling with kids headed to school and adults on their way to work. She had a bunch of time before she had to be at the school gates, although she knew that she'd probably be pushing it; hopefully she'd only be running a few minutes late.

Her thoughts turned to Iris, and she grimaced; the fiery, school-obsessed girl would not be happy about her recent absence.

"So where are we heading?" asked Drew, hands slung lazily in his pockets and casting wary looks at the people pushing and shoving beside him. The city was always jammed packed with crowds.

"To a job. Someone called me last night. They said they believed they had a demon haunting their house. I said, 'don't worry! I'm on the case!'" She struck a confident pose, her eyes flashing with determination; Drew rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, we should probably talk about that-"

"Shush! We're almost there!" Running on ahead, May came to a halt at the entrance of a rotting, stinking alley. Rats scattered at the arrival of the two, and a paper bag floated lazily in a dry wind.

"Wow. Nice setup this person has."

"W-Well obviously this isn't the house." Pulling out her map, she traced the coordinates she'd so carefully laid out. The person on the phone had strictly directed her right…here? She glanced up, at the stale alleyway reeking of rodent musk and alcohol.

…

"I've been pranked."

"You say that as if it's happened before."

"Because it has," she sighed, scuffing the dirt. "Most people think I'm a big joke. No one believes in demons anymore, y'know?"

Drew stepped forward, his green eyes widening; May absently couldn't help thinking how the contacts she'd given him matched his mussy green hair.

"Oh well," she muttered, glancing away, "I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up. Come on; let's get out of here – huh?"

Drew was now deep in the alleyway, his eyes scouring every nook and cranny of the dump. May couldn't help a bubble of frustration rising in her chest. Why was he always so hard to figure out? "Drew, hurry up! We need to go to school."

"Quiet." The firmness in his voice surprised her. Then, "the person who rang you…what did they sound like?"

"Um…I don't know. Like a teenage girl…?"

"Did they say anything strange?"

"…They were just adamant that I had to come here." She folded her arms. "That just proves it was a dumb, unfunny prank. Ha-ha, laugh all you want, I know, I fell for it. Can we go now?"

He paused. Finally he spun around and stared hard at the steps of an old, decaying cardboard box. "I know you're there. Come on out."

May's heart jolted.

A dark shadow slinked out of the sodden box, melding in the shadows and flashing deep red eyes at Drew and May. "Well, well," came a light, bold voice, "I see you've both come."

Drew leaned back against the wall, frowning. "What business do you have with us?"

"When I heard of the newest Contracted pair in the neighbourhood, I just couldn't resist. I had to meet you both! And may I say you certainly are a perfect match." She spat those last words, tone laden heavy with sarcasm.

"Who are you?" May's voice came out just above a whisper. The demon turned its scarlet eyes on her, fixing her with an unflinching, powerful glare. May shuddered.

"Me? I am the creature that prowls in your nightmares; I strike fear into the very hearts of the Gods!"

What confidence in that voice! The demon that possessed such a tone could only be one of true, terrifying power!

"I am ill-will personified! I am the orange light that stops you from speeding through! I am the table that stubs your toe!"

"Wait, what?"

"I am the very definition of misfortune! Fear me, if you dare, mortal!"

"Get on with it," muttered Drew.

"Humans have many names for me…demon, fiend, devil, sprite…" The dark shape leapt upon the box in which she'd emerged it. "Bad luck, misfortune, disaster, calamity…but you?" As if on cue, the sun emerged from a thick covering of cloud and cast beads of light into the dank shadows of the alleyway. A black paw emerged.

"You may call me-"

The red eyes flashed. A plumy tail whipped.

"Brianna!"

…

Before them stood the Demon of Misfortune. The very terrifying, very disturbing, very demonic –

Fluffy black kitten.

May couldn't help it.

She burst out laughing.

The cat puffed out her chest. "I see you are deathly afraid of this new form that I possess! So you should be! I learned that you humans are terrified of these fluffy, furry creatures!"

"Pff – yeah – I-I'm…shaking in my boots."

Brianna purred. "Good." Suddenly her eyes shot to Drew, and a warm glow alighted in her red orbs.

"Drew-!"

Drew heaved a sigh.

"Drew…it's really you!" The cat weaved forward. If cats could blush May was sure that the adorable little kitten would be tomato red by now. "I…I've wanted to meet you for so long! I…I…!"

At once the cat leaped at his chest, and grasped his shirt with furry paws.

"You're my idol!"

May immediately stopped laughing. "Huh?"

The cat leapt up to his shoulders, purr deepening. "Um…I've…I've wanted to tell you this for so long, mister Drew! But I've always admired your work. Back when you were one of the strongest demons I so desperately wished that, someday, I'd be as great as you."

… _One of the strongest demons?_

Drew scowled. "Don't remind me of that?"

"Remind you of what? How fearsome you were? How even the Gods respected your rank-"

The cat tumbled off, landing with a heavy thump on the ground. Drew towered over the tiny kitten, allowing her to cower under a poisonous glare. "I told you," he snapped, "don't talk about that!"

"S-Sorry…!" She scrambled to her paws and suddenly May realized just how strange this all was; demons possessing cats and fawning over demons possessing humans, and all that talk of Drew once being great, and just the whole 'Brianna' thing in general. It was giving her a headache. She hadn't expected the day to start like this.

"But you know, mister Drew, I might be a new demon but I hope I can someday win your approval! So please!" She bowed at his feet. "Watch over me until then."

Right…right! May had to shake herself to remember what she'd come here for. So this cat had been the one to call her? She couldn't help imagining the sight of a little kitten tussling with the buttons of a cell-phone, and she burst out laughing again.

"A-ha! You!" Looking down, the kitten was now right below her, staring boldly up at May. "You might be contracted with Mister Drew, but don't think that means he favors you! I guess we're gonna be rivals from here on out!"

"Y-Yeah?" _This is weird. Too weird._ Brushing the tears from her eyes, in a flash of glistening white May summoned her sword. "Okay. It was nice knowing you."

"Huh?"

May took in the sight of the fluffy kitten, and a creeping memory found its way into her mind's eye. She flinched and gritted her teeth. No. She had to remember that although it looked like an animal, it was anything but.

Still…

She forced the thoughts from her mind, and struck forward.

Black fur flashed; her sword hit hard concrete with a resounding clang. The cat had disappeared.

Something caught the hazy light of the sun.

May leapt back, just as long, silver claws gleamed, and struck the concrete; she bit back a gasp, and grasped the sword firmly in her hands. Before her the cat had shifted; where its tufty ears once sat were now replaced by small, poking horns; long claws stretched out of its paws, so long and sharp that May dreaded the thought of being scratched by them.

"I'm a talented fighter," Brianna purred, her eyes drifting dreamily over to Drew. He was messing around with May's phone, barely paying them any attention. "Here! Let me prove it to you!"

Before she could strike May kicked out; her shoe connected with something firm and a yowl erupted; a mess of black fur was sent tumbling back. Just as Brianna recovered May had already reached furry ball, and had grasped it by the neck. Her sword poked at its tiny chest.

"Alright, how long have you possessed this body for?"

"M-Mister Drew! Help! She's abusing me!"

"How long?!"  
"Two months!" The cat tried to lean back, pathetically scrabbling at the weapon. "Two months, give or take!"

Her heart sunk. So what was left of the cat inside was dead.

…She expected as much. But it was still painful to hear.

"First of all," she said, with a small sigh, "cats are not scary. Quite the opposite actually. No one's going to be afraid of you."

Brianna huffed. "Liar!"  
"Secondly…and I don't know if you're aware of this, but what you did was incredibly stupid. You invited a Hunter, of all things, to your hideout. What did you expect?"

"I didn't want to see you," she muttered and again her dreamy gaze drifted to Drew, who was still ignoring their scuffle. "Isn't he amazing? I want to be just like him one day."

She frowned. Even if it did look ridiculous it didn't take a genius to see that the demon was head over heels for Drew; why was anyone's guess, but she almost had to admire Brianna's bravery in inviting a Hunter to her hideout, just to meet her beloved.

Oh it was dumb, definitely, and seeing a kitten declare her love for the grassy haired boy was kind of creepy in its own right – but as reluctant as May was to admit it, she couldn't help having a slither of admiration for the determined demon.

It made what she was about to do all the more tough.

She readied herself to strike through.

"Quite a party you're having here, huh?"

The voice startled her so much that her sword clanged to the ground, and she dropped Brianna as she twirled around. Even Drew had jolted from his daydream and was glaring at the deepest part of the alley.

Red eyes sparked, and May had to stifle an inward groan.

Great. Another demon to add to the mix.

She was meant to be exterminating them, not making a guild out of the darn creatures.

She caught a glimpse of purple hair. And as if the morning hadn't already been strange enough, a demon emerged from the shadows possessing what had to be one of the worst fashion senses she'd ever seen in her entire life.

No. Scratch that. This demon possessed the worst fashion sense. Ever. Period.

Did he have a thing for cactus's or…?

"Why, if it isn't Drew," he began, in a fanciful drawl; "it's been so long! We really ought to meet up more often, you know!"

Drew glared at the strange man, and May sensed immediately that despite his friendly disposition Drew and this newcomer did not get along.

"You know," the man said, with a small frown, "you're the talk of the town right now! Everything's 'Drew this' and 'Drew that!' Honestly, if you're in hiding you would do well to keep a lower profile!"

And even though he seemed to look as if he was genuinely trying to be helpful, it was difficult to miss a note of irony in the man's flowery voice. Was he jealous or…?

But even more important than that was what he was saying. May hadn't had the time to properly digest Brianna's words, but what with this newcomer's appearance and his strange talk of 'low-profiles' and 'hiding', it was starting to sink into May that Drew was hiding something big. The thought made her unsteady; she knew he had secrets, but whatever his reasons for keeping them quiet were obviously not warranted. He'd made the Contract with her and whatever he was involved in now indisputably involved her; she had a right to know what it was that Drew was running from.

She threw him a strange glance but he refused to meet her eyes. She scowled; she was not going to drop it that easily.  
"And you!"

Something warm clapped over her hands; she yelped as the towering man held her hands firmly in his grasp, a small smile now on his face. "Ah, now this will not do! No, not at all! Just because you're a Hunter doesn't mean you have a right to be slack with appearances!"

… _What?_

"I know some wondrous fashion stores that could do miracles to you. Not to mention that flat-as-a-board chest of yours!"

…There were many things May could take. She didn't mind being bullied, because she'd fight right back; and after so many years of dealing with demons and their nonsense, she'd become confident in her abilities of exterminating them. She thought of herself as a strong person, determined and brimming with energy, unbreakable and full of spark…!  
But then all someone had to do was mention her chest size – her one weakness – and the once bright fire that was May would at once be reduced to a sniveling shell of her former self.

She turned away from the man, her eyes wide and expression blank. "S-Small…? I'm still growing, right?" she absently asked Brianna, whom sat beside her and was even giving her a sympathetic purr.

"Hm…I'd say 17 is peak age."

"Oh my?" said the new demon, "did I say something wrong?"

Drew strode up to the demon, his lips taut. "What do you want, Harley?"

"Drew!" Harley gasped, as if Drew's words had stung deeper than any sword. "I don't want anything! We're friends, aren't we?"

"Hardly."

"I just came to warn you of the higher ups." He winked knowingly at Drew and pointed a finger to the sky. "Naughty, naughty. You've certainly made them mad. They're after you, Drew."

"They'll get over it." Drew carelessly tossed his bangs and shoved past Harley, something unreadable on his face.

"Really now? You see…I'm not so sure." At this moment he grinned, and a flash of sadism shone through his smile. "After all you've done how could they ever forgive you? Such trouble you've caused!"

"So is that all you wanted?" Drew turned to look back at Harley, seeming poised and ready to strike.

"Of course! Oh, and to see the pretty new Hunter you've contracted with! With a little sprucing I'm sure she could be beautiful!"

An imaginary arrow shot through May's heart. Brianna gave her an awkward pat on the back. "Don't worry. I wouldn't take fashion advice from a guy who dresses like he's camouflaging in a desert."

Luckily it seemed Harley hadn't heard that snide comment. "Well, if you ever need my help feel free to call! You know where I am! In fact – huh?"

The ragtag group pushed past Harley, Drew leading May by the wrist whom still seemed to be mourning over Harley's insensitive comment. Brianna was perched on his shoulder; her tail flicked with amusement when they passed the demon.

"See you, Cactus-head."

Mere moments later they were gone. Harley blinked.

Then –

"DREW! DON'T LEAVE WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU! HOW RUDE!"

* * *

At home, May glared at Drew. "So remind me why she's here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Perched on his shoulder, Brianna rubbed against his cheek. "I'm going to be living with you from now on!"

"…Please tell me that's a joke."

"It's true! That way Mister Drew and I will always be close!" She swooned at that. May had to force down her disgust.

"Whatever. I can exterminate you here and now anyway." She was about to summon her sword when Drew raised a hand.

"Right. That reminds me. I tried to tell you this morning but you wouldn't let me finish."

"…Finish what?"

"Hunters who have contracted with demons lose their ability to exterminate us. You can stab at Brianna all you want; you'll do nothing to kill her."

"We're untouchable!" Brianna chirped.

…As if it wasn't bad enough being chained to a demon, bound by a contract sealed in blood – she'd at least thought that life would still have some shred of normality, what with her Hunting and her goal to exterminate every last demon that inhabited the earth. Her heart ached; with loss, anger or simply disappointment, she didn't know.

Drew stared at her, expectation on his face; what? Did he expect her to cry? Hit him?

She clenched her fists. No. She wouldn't do any of those things.

Gritting her teeth, she looked deep into his eyes.

"Well that's more of a reason to break this damn contract then, isn't there?"

Drew said nothing for a moment. Suddenly he smirked.

"Of course."

May tried to push down the swirling bitterness, just as Hollis had taught her. _Now's not the time to be sad. Moments being sad are moments better spent looking for a solution._ His words rung clear in her mind and she breathed a small sigh of relief.

"Hey – aren't we forgetting something?" Drew was now looking bemused. May's eyes caught the time – 10:24am.

…

"Crap! We skipped school _again_!"

* * *

Try as she might May couldn't sleep.

It didn't help that she had two demons bunking out in her home – that was bad enough – but thoughts of Drew's past and Harley's snide comments and even Iris's inevitable rage she'd have to face when she went back to school…it all swirled together to form a tangled knot in her mind, weighing down her brain and forcing her eyes wide open.

…She needed some tea.

Yeah. Tea would do her good.

And maybe answers too.

Opening the door to the lounge May lazily wiped her eyes. "Hey, Drew…? We need to talk. You awake?"

No reply.

She crept over to the couch, and saw the still bodies of both Brianna and Drew. She sighed and poked him in the cheek. He was deathly cold.

Her heart stopped.

"Um…Drew?"

Nothing. Pressing a hand to his chest she could feel the steady thrum of a heart; her body relaxed. Feeling Brianna over, the kitten was the same; numbingly freezing, but still alive.

Lua barked. She was by the sliding door to the deck, scratching at the clear glass. There May saw a note stuck to the window.

- _May._

 _Sorry about Brianna staying._

 _She's annoying, but now that she's been dragged into all this she has nowhere else safe to go._

 _Maybe she can be a chew toy for Lua?_

 _She hissed when I wrote that._

 _It's true, that human saying – "to fight like cat and dog." These two hate each other._

 _I'd like to give you answers but I can't at the moment. Brianna and I have gone out to tend to some business; don't wait up for us._

 _I'll try and answer you best tomorrow._

 _Night._

 _-Drew._

Drew had a way with words.

That was the first thing that struck May about the note. He was definitely eloquent, with a fine and flowery writing style and an almost sincere double-meaning to what he'd written. She mused over the part where he lamented on Brianna becoming 'dragged' into his problems; although she wished he could simply tell her what those were, she couldn't help catching the almost earnest way in which he'd written it. Although she knew Drew would never admit it, it occurred to May that he actually deeply cared for his friends. In his own way of course.

She sighed and glanced back at the cold bodies; so they'd actually left their possessions behind and had ventured out in their full-forms. She dimly wondered what Drew looked like in his original form; she shivered at the thought.

The bodies…they were alive, but empty; Hollis had been right when he'd said, long ago, that after a while of being possessed what was left of the original being simply faded away. It was painful, seeing what cocoons these bodies had become.

She turned back to the window. Out there, in the clear night sky, was Drew, with his many secrets and misgivings. She clutched the note closer to her chest.

" _They're after you, Drew,"_ Harley had said.

 _Stay safe._

* * *

 _Extra 0.4_

 _Brianna's Guide to Love_

 _Brianna: First of all, if you want a guy to notice you, you should start by being wherever he is at every point in the day! Sooner or later he'll think to himself, 'hm. That girl is everywhere lately. Perhaps I should say hi!' So never let him out of your sight!_

 _May: Um…isn't that stalking?_

 _Brianna: Second of all! Presents are the way to go! Mice! Rats! Birds! These will surely win over his heart!_

 _May: Wait, ew! Those are things cats give to their owners! You don't give a mouse to someone you have a crush on!_

 _Brianna: May, trust me! I had a really reliable source tell me that!_

 _May: …Did that reliable source also happen to be a cat?_

 _Brianna: Last but not least! Confess! A confession is more important than a proposal! Bring your best present! Look cute! Go for the kill!_

 _Brianna: Drew! I love you! And as proof of my love, here is a freshly caught rat, just for you my dear!_

 _May: …He's not here._

 _Brianna: I know! I'm just training for the day when I'll have the courage!_

 _May: Okay, you are way too weird for me._

* * *

 _Apologies for the delayed update! I was sick with a cold all week._

 _Well this was certainly an…'interesting' chapter to write. Namely for Brianna. I was wrestling with whether I should simply make her a demon possessing a human form or if I should just go crazy and make her cat._

 _I made her a cat._

 _Because why not?_

 _Haha, seriously though, I just couldn't shake the idea from my mind! In the end I rolled with it; I thought I could get more interaction from Brianna if she were something strange and eccentric, as I've portrayed her in here._

 _Harley also makes his first appearance, with his cactus hat and all! Harley's always fun to write. I feel like every fanfiction involving May and Drew has to involve Harley in some way, shape or form._

 _Well it was weird but fun, to say the least! Next chapter we'll learn more about what Drew's keeping secret and we'll also meet another character. Thankfully she isn't as strange as Brianna._

 _Ready to Fly - Your reviews always make my day! Thank you so much for your kind words, it really inspires me to keep writing. 3_

 _Lola - Lua is a pretty name, huh? It reminded me of a character from an anime called Baccano. c:_

 _Until next time!_


	5. Beaches & Ruin

_The meadows were her favorite place._

 _May liked how quiet it was there, with just the simple swaying of the summer grass and the gentle twittering of birds for company. Not many people visited the wide expanse, as there was nothing to see; not a human construction lay in sight, and the pathless terrain was thick and filled with clumps of thorny roses and burrs._

 _It used to be their special kingdom though. Her's and Max's._

 _They'd play with Lua here for hours upon hours on end. There were so many places to hide, and so many animals to see, and so many adventures to be had…May soon lost count on how many times they'd gotten lost. Whenever they found themselves stranded May – despite being the oldest – would always end up pathetically wailing for her parents, whilst Max plotted and prepared to scavenge for a month's worth of wild berries. He was always reliable like that, taking charge in even the scariest of situations._

 _She envied that._

" _You're here again, huh?"_

 _May knew who was speaking, but she sure as hell didn't want to face him. She turned away, a frustrated blush warming her cheeks. "What's it to you?"_

 _Hollis sighed. "Skipping out on training again? You'll learn nothing by doing that."_

" _It's boring," she grumbled, with a careless shrug, "I don't care about demons and possessions and all that…I just wanna see Max again."_

" _Yes, well, that's not happening."_

" _Yeah, 'cause you don't want me to see him."_

" _You know it's not that-"_

" _Course it is! I heard you and auntie talking the other day!" May finally turned to glare at the man, his firm dark shape silhouetted by the dying light of the day. "You said that Max couldn't live with us! That he had to stay at granny's!"  
"…It would complicate things. If he were here."_

 _Tears brimmed her eyes. "I told you, I don't want to be a Hunter! Why can't you just accept that!"_

 _Before he could reply she scrambled to her feet and ran. The grass grabbed at her limbs, and thorns sliced her arms and legs, though May hardly cared. The further she was from Hollis, the better._

 _She collapsed against a tree, breathing hard and trying to stifle her sniffling. This just wasn't fair…why, of all the people in the world, did it have to be her?_

 _Max and mom and dad…once upon a time they'd all been together. Now they couldn't be further apart._

" _Hi."_

 _The voice made her jump. Her eyes shot to the tangled branches of the tree above her, where a young boy her age lay. She immediately sighed in relief._

" _Ash…don't scare me like that."_

" _Sorry."_

 _Sliding down the trunk, the boy came to stand beside her. "What's wrong? You don't look well."_

" _Nothing." She brushed past him and pretended to absentmindedly observe a squirrel in the trees. "It's just…"_

" _Your brother, right?" He tried to hide a smile. "Sorry. I overheard your argument. He's staying with your grandma, huh?"_

 _May paused. She didn't know Ash very well; from what she'd gathered he had the same ability to see demons as her, and he'd been training as a Hunter since an incredibly young age. Honestly though she'd never taken him as the type to be much of a fighter; he was kind of a dork._

 _Still, he did seem nice…In a way she wanted to speak to someone her own age; Auntie was so awkward, and Hollis so cutting, and her so-called 'friends' at school were now gossiping about the scandal of her supposed parents' suicide…_

 _It'd be nice. To have someone just like her, who could at least understand a little of what she was going through._

 _At that exact moment a furry little head poked out of Ash's jumper._

" _EEK! A RAT!"_

" _Huh?" Ash glanced down at his pocket. Suddenly he burst out laughing.  
"That's no rat! That's my pet mouse, Pikachu!"_

" _P-Pikachu…?" What kind of weird name was that? Though somehow it also felt extremely ironic._

" _Yeah. I think he wants to be your friend."_

 _The little brown mouse squeaked as if in agreement._

" _N-No thanks." She glared at the rodent in disgust. "I think I'm good."_

 _For a while they simply walked through the field; as night began to dawn, and distant stars awoke from their nap, it soon occurred to May that she had no idea where they were._

" _That's my dream!" Ash declared, "to be the best Demon Hunter the world has ever known!"_

" _Um…Ash…I think we're lost."_

" _So what's your story?" He flashed a warm smile; Pikachu perched happily on his shoulder. "I really want to understand you, May. You're interesting."_

 _A hot blush heated May's cheeks; she dipped her head in embarrassment, Ash's words eerily echoing over the quiet valley. No one had ever said that to her before…She brushed past the boy, hoping desperately that he hadn't seen her stupid blushing._

 _Right…what was her story? Before that fateful day she had simply been a normal girl, with an abnormal ability. Once upon a time the demons had never played much of a part in her life; they'd simply been in the background, existing, but never interfering. She stifled a sob._

" _The night before the attack…me and Max, we had a fight. He was always going on about these stupid things he'd learned at school and I couldn't follow. He's always been like that; he's so smart, and wise…anyway, he made a stupid insult and I fought back. It became a huge argument. Next thing I knew the whole family was involved, and Max and I...we got angry at them. Long story short I said some mean things to everybody that day. To Max, Mom, Dad…The following morning he went as planned to our grandmother's, but I didn't want to go. Like hell I was going to be anywhere near him. So I decided to run away instead." She had to pause, to blink the tears from her eyes. "That was the last I saw of all of them. I said such mean things and I was so immature…I never knew that those would be my last words to them all. And that when I returned…when I decided to come back home, because of the storm…"_

 _She'd been such a fool. All because of a snide little comment. It seemed so surreal, that Max's mean joke had erupted into such a big, pointless, dumb spat. If she could rewind the clock, she'd make sure that she would apologize to all of them; her little brother, who was always putting up with her misgivings; her eccentric mother, and of course her beloved dad. She'd say she was sorry for being such a kid, and that she hoped they could all forgive the mean things she'd said._

 _But time didn't wind back. What was done was done._

 _What she'd said remained the same, and nobody could change that._

" _You know," said Ash, breaking her daze, "when I'm having a rough day, I go look for a demon to exterminate."_

 _May threw him a dubious look. "That helps?"_

" _It really does! Watch."_

 _Dramatically twisting his hat back, he raised a hand to the air and in his palm materialized a small ball, shimmering a crimson red with a little hook at the end._

" _It's a grenade," he said, tossing it carelessly from hand to hand, "Hollis will teach you how to summon a weapon soon. Come on, this way!"_

 _He grasped May's wrist and briskly led her further through the meadow. Soon the trees began to grow thicker, and no matter where May looked, an endless sea of grass stretched on for what must have been eternity. A mesh of fear knotted deep in her chest. "H-Hey, Ash…is it just me, or are we really far away from the city?"_

" _Don't worry! That's its trick!"_

"… _Its trick?"_

" _Shush! It's around here somewhere." Finally he released her wrist. Glancing around, Ash's eyes finally came to rest in the high boughs of a tree. Pikachu squeaked in alarm._

" _Can you see it?"_

 _She couldn't at first. But then she caught a flash of green; slimy gunk dripped from barren branches, and dark eyes gleamed sharp against the cold backdrop of the moon. It almost looked like a snake, with its slender, ropey body, its scales secreting that awful sludge which dripped in thick, gooey globs to the ground. May gulped; it wasn't large like the demon who had killed her parents, but it was still frightening._

" _It's a Demon of Disappearance. You know those mysterious vanishings you hear about on the news? Well, you can almost always blame one of these things."_

" _It's so…gross."_

" _Yeah. But every demon's full form is gross; it's when they're in their possessed forms that they can be really dangerous."_

 _Right…She vaguely remembered Hollis talking about that; when demons mingled with the human world after taking possession of a body, it was almost always a recipe for disaster._

" _Right! You ready, Pikachu?"_

" _Squeak, squeak!"_

" _Then let's go!"_

 _Pulling the hook out, with one fell swing the grenade flung from his hands and slammed right into the demon's cheek. It hissed and arched its neck; the little ball was suspended in mid-air for a moment, and May's heart missed a beat, as the demon snapped open its jaws and prepared to strike._

 _Then everything exploded._

 _There was no fire, like in the movies; just the harshest gust of wind she'd ever felt, whipping the gangly boughs of the trees and slicing past May's legs. She ducked her head, ears aching as a high-pitched, keening whistle erupted, its shrill screech echoing so loudly within her head that she could barely hear her own thoughts._

" _M-May? May?!"  
She opened her wet eyes, only to see Ash's blurry, confused face._

" _Don't worry. You get used to it, after a while."_

 _Pikachu was tip-toing drunkenly over Ash's shoulder, before letting out a defeated squeak and rolling down to his palms. "Ah! Pikachu! I'm sorry, I forgot how much you hate that sound! You okay, buddy?"_

 _May hazily looked back up at the tree. From its branches all that remained was the sloppy goo, dripping lazily down the trunk and onto the grassy floor. "It's gone…"  
"Yeah." Ash was still looking apologetically at his mouse, who was glaring back at him with indignation. "I'd say this meadow is safe for another day."_

 _May suddenly noticed that no longer was there a sea of grass, stretching out endlessly before her on all sides; now, just a mere 500 yards away, was the very edge of the encircling city, the horizon lit up by its artificial lights and echoing with the sounds of horns blaring and people shouting. She could almost taste the acrid scent of the cars hanging in the air._

 _So all those times she and Max had gotten lost – it had been because of that demon? She shivered; to think they'd been so close to such a gross creature, and yet remained oblivious to its presence._

" _It'll help," Ash said, Pikachu once again perched upon his shoulder and happily munching away on a sunflower seed. "I mean…when my mom died …nothing made me happier than terminating those things. Maybe it'll help you too."_

" _I don't know…"_

" _I don't want these demons to ruin our society; I want to keep people safe. And the only ones who can do that…"_

"… _Are the Hunters."_

 _Ash sighed. "You know I think you'd be really good at it! Give it a try!"_

… _She wanted to see Max again. To leave Hollis and the others behind and to be reunited with her brother, as things once were._

 _But…when she thought of her parents, and the fate they'd met – when she thought of all that she'd said to them before their deaths, and how those damn, disgusting, vile creatures had stolen everything she'd ever loved…_

 _She wanted to protect them._

 _All of them._

* * *

"Who's this?"

Drew was staring intently at a letter; Brianna loyally perched on his shoulder and Lua seated on his lap. May looked up from her half-scribbled homework and fixed him with a poisonous glare.

"Where the hell did you get that from?"

"The mailbox."

Before he could even blink she'd snatched the letter from his hand. Her heart skipped a beat; could it really be…?

 _Sender: Max._

Wow…it had been so long. Nearly three years. Swallowing her doubt, she tore open the envelope and unfolded the clean white paper inside; it smelled strongly of Grandma Pearl's sickly-sweet lavender perfume, a scent she'd now come to closely relate to Max as well. So he was still with her…

Of course he was. He was only her little brother, after all; he might be smart, but as much as he'd like to deny it he was still a minor. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Is it your boyfriend?" purred Brianna, a playful glint sparking in her red eyes.

"What? Ew, no! Just….a distant relative of mine."

"You seem awfully excited for _just_ a distant relative."

May glared at the furry cat, who was innocently pretending to wash a fluffy black paw. "We haven't talked in a while. That's all."

"Is that really all?"

The stupid, worthless, flea-infested...

Why did she even bother with these two? All they seemed intent on was bothering the hell out of her. She offered them practically her entire house and still they treated her with little respect.

Besides…despite Drew's promise in the note he'd left her last night, when she'd woken this morning he'd still refused to give her answers. This whole 'withholding secrets' thing was not only getting ridiculous – it was starting to make her anxious.

She was about to snap back a reply when the chiming ring of the doorbell echoed through the lounge.

Everyone froze.

At once May clattered up from her seat, shoulders tense. "Stay here." For once the two didn't argue with her.

Of all people who would drop by, she could only think of two – Hollis and Ash. Both were not at all welcome by the apartment nowadays; not with the sole fact that she was practically room-mates with two demons, and even contracted to one. Slinking cautiously to the door, she peered through the peep hole and sucked in a cold, anticipating breath.

" _I know you're there, May!"_

The loud, obnoxious voice startled her from her daze; leaping away, May couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief.

It could be Hollis, or Ash…or three friends she'd almost forgotten about, three nosy friends from school.

Wait – that was just as bad.

 _Crap!_

"U-Uh, just a minute!"

A loud knocking sounded on the door, followed by the sharp voice of Iris. "I swear, May, if you don't answer in five seconds then you'll have one less door to worry about!"

"She means it," added Dawn unhelpfully.

 _Oh, of course she means it._

If there was anything she knew about Iris, from their five years of tumultuous friendship, it was that Iris always meant her threats. She seriously needed some anger management therapy or something.

With a resigned sigh she unlocked the door. So long as Drew and Brianna stayed out of sight, then there was nothing to worry about. Right…?

The moment the door had opened just a crack was the exact moment Iris burst in like a hurricane, hands on hips, tight frown pursing her pink lips. For a second May wished Hollis was there instead; not even he could be as scary as her fiery friend was known to be.

"Nearly a week of school," she began, and May could see she was fighting desperately to keep her voice steady and calm. "A week of school, missed. Finals – skipped. My tutorship: a waste." She looked as if she were about to cry, her big purple eyes sparkling wet; "what happened, May? You used to be such a good student. Why do you have to rebel like this?"

"Well…" _I just contracted with a demon, met a talking cat and a guy dressed as a cactus – oh, and my roommate is the most popular guy in school. No big deal, you know?_ Instead she said, "I've been…busy?"

This time it was Dawn who interjected. "Too busy to forget our celebratory beach date?" When May stared at Dawn blankly, she gave an exasperated gasp. "Seriously? You really forgot?"

"It was supposed to be for when we passed our exams," Misty said with a small smile.

"Although," Iris added, "she didn't even show up for them. Trust me guys, she doesn't deserve it."

That's right! May vaguely remembered Dawn organizing a trip to the ocean, prattling on about how once the school holidays had begun they'd all go on a welcoming respite to the beach. She'd forgotten all about the arrangement – but perhaps that was for the best. She wasn't in the mood for that sort of stuff; she had work to do, research to tend to, a contract to break and demons she desperately wanted out of her life.

Dawn must have caught the reluctant look on her face, because she grasped her hands in her own and stuck her bottom lip out in a pitiful pout. "C'mon, May! You have to come! Things wouldn't be the same without you!"

"They'd be better," said Iris with a dismissive snort, though even she stared at May with a mingling mix of hope and anticipation in her bright eyes.

"It's just that…circumstances have changed. A lot. I'm sorry I forgot about things, I really am, but –"

"What could be more important than your friends?" cried Dawn.

" _Hey."_

May tensed. No – please tell her that was not who she thought it was.

Dawn startled back. Misty gaped, and even Iris's fury gave way to a frozen expression of surprise. May glanced back at the mussy haired boy, his green contacts glinting with barely masked mischief. "I think we should go."

Dawn turned back to her, arms folded, head held smugly high. "Well," she laughed, in an unusually silky tone; May flinched, "I guess circumstances really have changed, huh?"

* * *

If she'd felt slightly concerned for Drew last night, she couldn't give a damn about him now. He could get eaten by a lion for all she cared; anything that stole him out of her life would be a blessing in disguise.

Up ahead Drew walked, Brianna following in her invisible half-demon form beside him. She glared daggers at his faraway figure, wishing desperately for a bus to swerve and squash him right here and now.

Or her. Being run over by a bus would be a befitting way to die, she considered; it would be better than having to endure the sly looks of her three friends and their embarrassing, pointed comments as they practically dragged her to the beach.

"Our lovely May, living with the teen heart-throb from school? How scandalous!"

"Oh, May! She's all grown up now!"  
"Maybe they were childhood lovers, reunited by a sweeping chance of fate!" It was Misty who said this, eyes glistening dreamily. "How romantic!"

Okay, she could endure Iris snapping at her about homework and god knows what else (truthfully she didn't listen half the time); she could take Dawn's ramblings about her beloved douche of a boyfriend, and Misty's subtle teasing about May's non-existent love life. It had always been their 'thing', to chide and tease each other about stupid teenager affairs.

This was different though. Now they weren't just teasing; they were absolutely, positively convinced that May had been hiding a secret boyfriend. No matter how many times she said that she wouldn't touch Drew with a ten-foot pole, or tried to explain their awkward living situation, she was constantly overruled by a mocking laugh from Dawn, a little giggly by Misty, and a full chorus of all of them saying in unison, _"yeah right!"_

She couldn't be more relieved when the beach loomed before them.

"Oh, look, the ocean!" May pointed at the sparkling blue line on the horizon, and the inviting golden sand that glittered warmly in the heat of the sun. "Well, we're here, so I'm off to go get an ice-cream. You want some, Iris?"

"Actually I'm allergic to dairy-"

"Good! I'll be back soon!" With that she took off, her three friends watching perplexed as she grasped Drew's hand in her own and roughly pulled him away.

When they'd rounded a corner he snapped his hand back and tenderly rubbed his wrist, frowning. "The hell was that for?"

"You're lucky I can't stab a sword through that chest of yours!"  
"Hey!" Brianna chirped, jumping in front of Drew protectively. "Don't be so mean!"

May ignored her. "What the hell was that? Acting all high and mighty around my friends! Congratulations, you've just caused more problems than you're worth."

"Wait-"

"I mean, what were you thinking? Now the entire school's going to find out that you live with me!"

"Can you-"

"The worst part is that they think you and I are a…a… _thing_! I bet you're enjoying that, huh?"

"Listen to me!" His sharp voice cut through May's complaining, and she stared; brow furrowed, hands curled to fist, and seeming almost ready to punch Drew right in the face. He took a cautious step back, Brianna hissing a warning.

"You know last night? It wasn't just for a stroll in the park. Brianna and I sensed a presence in this city – something deeper, darker than any normal demon is known for. Can't you feel it too?"

May sighed. Did she really have to do this now? Regardless, she closed her eyes and tried to tune herself into the world around her – she caught scraps of bumbling conversation from other beach goers, scented the acrid, choking stench of cigars – a smell that reminded her eerily of Hollis – and heard the incessant song of chirping crickets. She was about to snap at Drew that she sensed nothing supernatural, when something twisted inside her gut.

Beneath the sounds of waves lapping hungrily at sand, and the tangy scent of oceanic salt, and the raucous caw of the seagulls drifting lazily upon warm thermals, she felt the familiar, swamping darkness shifting sharp in the air.

She opened her eyes. May could hardly believe she'd even managed to miss the tell-tale sign of a demon's presence; she must've gotten used to the feeling, what with Brianna and Drew constantly stuck to her side like glue. Swallowing, she nodded.

"Yeah. There's a demon around. So what? It's not unusual."

"That's where you're wrong." Grim, he pointed to the sky. "See those birds?"

She followed his gaze. At first she saw nothing wrong with the sight. "Yeah…? Seagulls? That's common, for a beach."

"Didn't Hollis teach you anything?" he sighed. The insult stung, but she bit back a rude reply of her own. "When do you see seagulls flying like that? Come on, May. Think."

On second glance she understood his point; they were flying in a completely symmetrical circle, never breaking ranks, never pausing for rest. Their lazy spiral was almost dizzying to watch. "They sense it too," muttered Drew, "a God."

May's blood froze. "You mean the one that attacked us in the alley?" Visions fluttered before her mind's eye; of the horned raven like creature, with eyes as red as rose petals, and a beak with a point sharpened like a dagger.

"No…This one's different. That one was a God of Death. The presence here isn't as strong, but it's distinct. There's definitely a powerful God around here somewhere."

It was common knowledge, among Hunters, that God's were not to be messed with; they brought evil wherever they roamed, but unlike their demon counterparts they were no easy kill. Not only that, but their power was stronger and much more definite than that of a demon's; wherever a God of Death roamed, death was sure to follow; if a God of Disaster prowled a certain area then an accident was just waiting to happen. Unlike demons, who had the potential to cause harm and mischief but little else, a God was always known to bring calamity and destruction wherever it traveled.

"Listen." She immediately snapped to attention; Drew's eyes locked to hers, and his voice became unusually serious. "I think I've found a way to break the contract."

"R-really?" At once she almost completely forgot about the God's presence. "Alright, how? Say the word and it's done!"

"Yeah, it's not as easy as that. Hollis taught you about the Gods, right?"

"Only a little…" Her job was hunting and exterminating demons; not tangling with powerful Gods. That was way out of her comfort zone. "Why?"

"In and around this city are 8 Gods," explained Drew, holding up eight fingers to accentuate this fact. "The God of Death, Disaster, Illness, Relationship Ruin, Pain, Insanity, Idolism and finally, the God of Malevolence. Wherever they go, the terror and evil they possess follows with them."

"This is only a theory," added Brianna quickly, "but we've been thinking a lot on how to break the contract. And…"

"We think defeating every individual God in this area might be what we need to end this damned contract once and for all." When May said nothing, eye's widening with a mixture of shock and confusion, Drew continued on. "The Gods have a power that we demons don't. Starting with the weakest, if we can somehow make our way up to the God of Malevolence…"

"The God of Malevolence is the strongest God of all," Brianna purred, her eyes glimmering with barely masked admiration. "But they only choose to show themselves to demons proven worthy. If anyone can break the contract, then the God of Malevolence might! You just need to get they're attention."

"Really?" May glanced hopefully at Drew. "You think…that could work?"

"Again…it's just a theory. Defeating each and every God will be tough work. It'll earn us more enemies than friends. But…"

"It's the only lead we have to go on." His grim nod said it all. May had never felt so unsure of something in her entire life; if she did this, if she actually managed to exterminate a God, then there'd be no going back. She'd have either made the right choice, or performed the biggest mistake in her entire life. The doubt gripped her like a vice, squeezing her heart, her pulse quickening with each and every second that passed. Was she really up for such a task…?

But it was as Drew thought. There really was no other lead. Contracts were thought to be unbreakable, and this was the only slim hope that they had.

Even if it was a pitiful chance, it was nonetheless a chance she couldn't pass up.

Like it or not, if she wanted to be freed from Drew then she'd have to face the consequences.

Suddenly, something occurred to her.

"W-Wait! Didn't you say that Contracted humans couldn't kill demons? Wouldn't that apply to Gods as well?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. That. I lied."

" _What?"_

"Brianna could be of some use. I feel like keeping her around."

"Y-You really mean that, Mister Drew?"

"So you made a fool out of me?" She glared at him, inwardly dreaming of permanently damaging that pretty-boy face of his. He shrugged in return.

"Hey, it's your fault that you believed me. A _smart_ Hunter wouldn't trust a word that comes from a demon's mouth." May bristled at that – she was _smart!_ She'd just been… overwhelmed lately. That's all.

"Fine," she finally muttered, conceding defeat. Brianna was no longer a major concern anyway; she was just a flea, compared to the enormity of the task before her. "I'll leave your precious cat alone. She's not my problem now anyway."

Brianna puffed out her chest with pride. "I knew you were warming up to me! Don't think this makes us friends though! We're still rivals!"

"A-Anyway…" Stepping back, and trying to quell the embarrassed blush rising to her cheeks, May looked again at the strangely circling birds. "Where do you think we'll find this…God?"

"I'm not sure. But it's definitely here." Drew's expression darkened. "I know it."

* * *

"Hey! Where's the ice cream?"

"Ice cream…oh!" May gave a sheepish laugh, her three friends sharing exasperated looks. "Sorry! They were all out!"

"An ice cream van can run out of ice cream? Who knew!" May didn't miss the sarcastic edge to Dawn's voice, and she shot her a poisonous glare in return, though Dawn only giggled innocently.

The sand was warm under her toes, and the soothing rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves brought back memories of a happier time, when she and Max and their parents had spent burning hot summer days on a blazing beach. It felt almost bitter to return to such a place of her childhood; even though she had her friends by her side, nothing could ever replace the know-it-all attitude of Max, and the comforting embrace of her father. She shook her head, hoping to rid her mind of such trivial thoughts.

"I'm going swimming!" announced Misty, already in her skimpy bathing suit. She'd always loved water – her and Dawn joked countless times that she was a mermaid in disguise – and nowhere did she look more at home than at the beach, with the cool oceanic breeze ruffling her ginger hair and the tangy sea salt touching her lips. "You guys have fun!" Without another word she was off, diving head first into the ocean's depths.

Dawn and Iris shared a sly glance. Dawn was not one for the ocean – it messed up her hair, was her constant complaint – and Iris, well, she didn't know how to swim. "Hey, Iris!" said Dawn. "Let's go check out the fishery! Maybe we could rent some fishing rods! Okay, it's settled, c'mon!"

The two skedaddled faster than May could blink. She sighed. Would they ever let this whole 'Drew' thing drop?

"Come on." Drew was already walking ahead, Brianna padding beside him. "The sooner we find the God, the better."

Matching his fast pace, the two settled into a rhythmic walk; May couldn't help being embarrassingly conscious of how 'couple-y' they must have looked, side by side, so close that their arms were just barely touching. She instinctively drew further away.

Drew was first to break the awkward silence. "This contract," he began, as calm and collected as ever, "well, if we're really doing this then we're going to have to rely on its powers."

"...Powers?"

"Yeah. You know. I wouldn't be able to defeat a God on my own, and you wouldn't either. But together with the Contracted bond…"

"Oh! That's it! We can borrow energy from each other, right?"

"Exactly. And strength. Ironic, huh? We want to break the contract, but it's the only thing we've got to make us tough in a battle against a God."

"I don't care how we win." May quickened her pace, a sharp determination searing deep in her belly. "I just want to win. No matter the cost."

As they walked along the beach, the sun scorching high overhead, May couldn't help thinking of precious Max's letter; why had he chosen to write to her, after three long years of silence? She hoped he was doing well. Maybe after she'd broken the contract she would visit him again, relish in a warm reunion from her once precious little brother.

If she broke it. She couldn't get her hopes up. She sneaked a glimpse of Drew, who looked deep in thought himself. She steeled herself for a rather prying question.

"Hey, Drew. Doesn't it worry you? Going up against a God, I mean…You're a demon, so I bet it's not exactly approved of, huh?"

"No. But I've already angered the God of Death. What's seven more going to do?"

There was a hint of humor in his voice. She couldn't help chuckling. "And what about you," he asked. "Scared?"

"Me? Heh! Of course not!" It was a lie, but she could never tell him that. "Just you wait. We'll be killing so many Gods that the God of Malevolence will soon have no choice but to face us! And if it doesn't break our contract…" She pretended to stomp on an ant, adding a dramatic 'BAM' for emphasis. "We'll kill it, just like all the others!"

"That's the plan," said Drew with a small smile.

 _A stupid, dumb plan,_ added May quietly to herself, _but a plan nonetheless._

"Hey! Drew!"

Brianna's voice cut through their almost pleasant conversation; before them, the half-demon cat was puffed up and bristling, her exceedingly long claws digging into the sand and two tails lashing dangerously. "It's here! I can smell it!"

They halted in their tracks. Tuning in to her surroundings again, May felt the change immediately. A shadowy ebb-and-flow, tugging almost painfully at her heart, a deepening swamp of betrayal and loss swirling uncomfortably around her legs. All around them people chattered on, unaware of how close in proximity they were to evil; a stray dog barked, and barked, eyes fixed on an outcropping balcony where a lone figure stood.

May stumbled back.

It was…beautiful. That couldn't be its true form, could it? No, it couldn't be – it must be in Possession of a body. No demon, or God, had the original form of a human. Still…with her chestnut brown hair, graceful build, red patterned skirt and flowery pink hat, she looked every bit the lady. Doubt swirled in her chest. Were they really looking at a God?

The girl turned. Her red eyes shone deeper than the red of a seeping sunset. A small, elegant smile graced her fine pink lips.

"That's the one," said Drew, gritting his teeth and returning the challenging gaze. "That's the God of Relationship Ruin."

* * *

 _Extra 0.5_

 _WHO'S THAT DEMON/GOD?_

 _Brianna: A God of Relationship Ruin? What do they do, you ask? Well, let's consult Dexter the DemonDex!_

 _Dexter: God of Relationship Ruin - These Gods preside over all unnecessary Relationship Conflict, intimate or otherwise! They are most commonly found near average family homes, stirring up trouble and meddling with relationships._

 _Brianna: Scary! So things like affairs, arguments and breakups are usually caused by these Gods? Well, I'm staying away from them! Tune in next time for the newest, informative episode of WHO'S THAT DEMON/GOD!_

* * *

 _Apologies for the delayed update with this one! It's finally the holidays now, so updates will definitely be more frequent now._

 _This was a fun chapter to write! Not only do we learn that Max is in this fanfiction too (how could he NOT be?) but the full plot finally comes into view. I'm trying to keep things Pokemon associated in this AU, namely by having a mouse named Pikachu and 8 Gods referencing the 8 gym leaders of a Pokemon region! Heh!_

 _Also, can you guess who the God of Relationship Ruin is? She's no Gym Leader, but she's certainly a very amusing character to write..._

 _I have a Contestshipping Christmas themed one-shot coming up, so look out for that too! I just have the sudden urge to write sappy, fluffy May x Drew fictions!_

 _Well! That's all for this chapter! If you're enjoying this story so far then please consider leaving a review! It honestly brightens my day and inspires me to keep writing! I read each and every review left, and I can't properly convey how much it means to me! Thank you!_

 _Ready to Fly - Thank you! Brianna is a fun character to write - she's so eccentric and cute! - and I'm glad you enjoyed my strange decision in making her a cat! I have seen Soul Eater! It's an awesome anime. Now that you compare it, Blaire is a lot like Brianna haha! Blaire is a much cooler cat however, with her epic witch's hat and super adorable sparkly eyes!_

 _Lola - Ah, I know the feeling! Thankfully I'm all better now! Thank you so much for your lovely review (oh gosh, I'm running out of ways to say thanks!) And yes, there will be that 'certain' other coordinator appearing! I can't say when though..._

 _Until next time!_

 _-Keri_


	6. Secrets & Revelations

_**A/N - Apologies for the delayed update! I've been going through a lot lately, plus the holidays are super busy! Weekly updates shall become more frequent now however, so enjoy!**_

* * *

She was beautiful.

It was honestly hard to believe that the creature that stood before her was anything but a normal human. With her curly brown hair, glimmering blue eyes and clean, pale skin, May couldn't help feeling a weed of doubt prickle in her chest. Was this really a God? Her last experience with a God had been with the God of Death, whose original form had taken the twisted shape of a large raven. She'd expected the God that they'd been hunting to have a similar brooding appearance, as ravaged and disgusting as a demon could get.

But this…?

As if reading her mind, Drew spoke. "Don't be fooled. Just like us demons, they can possess any body they want." His eyes narrowed. "And of course it has to be _her_ , of all people."

"Her? Wait, you know –"

Before May could even finish her question, she caught sight of the graceful girl loping gingerly down a flight of stairs leading onto the beach. Even when walking she moved with a strange purpose and eerie poise; May couldn't help shivering as she stepped out onto the sand, her dark red eyes gleaming with an almost childlike excitement.

"Hi!" she called. Again, May almost expected to hear a disembodied voice, something foreboding and deep and echoing with menace. The girl's tone was light and friendly, however. The God wrung her hands behind her back and flashed a small, almost shy smile.

"I saw you staring at me. Do you want to be friends?"

The question caught May off-guard. She glanced at Drew, who similarly also wore an expression of surprise. His shock only further fed the growing uneasiness in May's chest.

The girl frowned. Then, "oh! Is that not what normal people say?" She laughed, a blush heating her pale cheeks red. "Darn it! I really gotta work on this. It's hard being a human, y'know? All these social cues and conversations and wow! I never knew there were so many different kinds of food, and books, and games! Just recently I-"

"Um, excuse me." May stepped forward. Although she'd instinctively lowered her guard, she kept her shoulders tense and one hand pinned behind her back. She wasn't sure what was going on at the moment; there was no doubt in her mind now that this was definitely a God. Her ebbing, lurking presence shifted beneath May's feet, and she didn't talk like any normal human would. Still, what was her game? Was she trying to trap them? Confuse them? If so, there was no doubt that her little tricks were working like a charm.

The girl cocked an eyebrow, falling strangely silent.

"How rude of me," she suddenly chuckled, making May jump. She'd almost been expecting her to attack, right then and there. "My name's Serena. What's yours?"

"Enough formality." Though May wouldn't admit it, she was thankful for Drew's abrupt interruption. He showed no trace of having been shocked before; instead his expression was blank, almost calculating and cautious. And…?

Was it just her imagine, or did she catch a small flash of fear light his usually stoic face?

No…she must have imagined it. The Drew she knew was never afraid. Was he?

"I'm not here for idle chatter," he sighed, pushing between May and Serena. "And there's no point trying to hide it from us, Serena. It's been a while, hasn't it? Three months, to be exact."

It took May a few seconds to register Drew's words. She froze, eyes wide. "Wait! You _know_ her?"

He sighed, as if May's question was as unwarranted and stupid as one could get. "Fantastic deduction, _July_. You ever thought of becoming a detective?"

"Oh shut up!"

"This here," said Drew, with a frosty glare at the girl before him, "is Serena. Otherwise known as the God of Relationship Ruin. I must say, it's rare to see you in possession of a body. I thought Gods liked to roam around in their _true_ forms."

Serena's shoulders slumped at that; as if the mention of her status as a God was enough to make her cringe. "People change," she said with a tense shrug, then, hurriedly correcting herself, she added, " _Gods_ change." She forced a tight lipped smile. "I guess I can't hide anything from you two, huh? And you're the newest Contractor on the block, right? May, isn't it?"

"That's right," said May, unable to hide her surprise at Serena having known her name.

"And Brianna!" Brianna said, puffing up her fur; though much to her annoyance she was ignored.

"I must say…I'm rather surprised you know May here. I mean, me I can understand." Drew couldn't help smirking. "Don't tell me we're famous already?"

Serena turned to May, her expression almost unreadable. "The other Gods don't like you much, y'know," she said coyly. "You've killed a lot of demons. And now that you're Contracted, you're still trying to continue your duties as a Hunter. But what you've done in the past is no concern to me." With a flip of her chestnut hair she turned her back on the two, her eyes set on something invisible on the horizon.

"I haven't forgotten," Drew suddenly snapped, "what you've done to me. Don't you think it's time to pay for that mistake? Hey!" When she still didn't reply, his voice grew louder, harder. "Talk to me!"

Slowly she glanced back at the four. May's heart lurched; her red eyes were glassy and distant, fogged by what could only be a mist of unshed tears. The knot of uneasiness in May's chest coiled even tighter; no, no, this was not how it was supposed to go…Gods weren't…like this. They just weren't!

Maybe May was just imagining it – but there was something sad about this God. Something…incomplete and 'off', something that didn't sit well with the Hunter; this was the last thing she'd expected the God of Relationship Ruin to be like, and for a brief moment she wondered if perhaps maybe Serena wasn't as bad as Drew made her out to be. She shook the thought from her head; no, that was ridiculous. Gods brought evil wherever they went. She had to be eliminated.

She prepared to summon her sword, forcing herself to swallow all misgivings and doubts, when she felt the calloused hand of Drew on her shoulder. "Wait," he muttered, his voice seething with barely restrained rage. "This isn't a good place to fight. We'll just draw unwanted attention."

…That was true. As long as Serena was in possession of a body, she was seeable to every human around. And the last thing they needed was to cause a big scene. Slowly she dropped her hands to her sides, shoulders slumping. So now what? As long as Serena picked her surroundings carefully, she could avoid a scuffle with the pair for as long as she wanted.

"I don't want a fight," Serena finally sighed. "I just want to leave my past behind. Is that too much to ask?"

Then, with another casual flip of her hair, she strode past the two, as if they were nothing more than two strangers on the sidewalk. "Please don't try to find me again." And May couldn't miss the slight begging plea to her voice. "Please. Leave me alone."

She began to stride off, hands still wrung innocently behind her back, skirt fluttering in the slightest of sea breezes. May felt her face flush; here they were, so close to a God, and all they could do was allow her to walk away unscathed. What had happened to their plan? And if they couldn't kill Serena, the supposedly weakest of all the Gods, then how would they even begin to handle the others they had to face?

"She's changed a lot," Drew finally muttered. His eyes never left her slow retreating shape; May almost recoiled at the burning blaze of hate that lit his green orbs. "But we'll get her." He frowned. "Trust me. I'll make her pay for everything she's done."

* * *

"I…don't understand," May finally said, leaning back into the couch. Lua, as if sensing her mess of confusion, whimpered in agreement, snuggling deeper into her chest. "You said Gods brought evil and destruction wherever they went. But she didn't strike me as much of the Godly type."

Drew's eyes narrowed. He leaned heavily against the fireplace, Brianna beside him on the mantle as she groomed a fluffy black paw. May scowled. So that's how he was going to be. "You know," she snapped, "this whole 'secretive' thing you've got going on is really getting out of hand. We're partners right? I deserve to know some things."

"This isn't any of your business," Drew countered. "Stay out of it, Maple."

"Why should I? You know everything there is to know about me. But I feel like I know absolutely nothing about you. How the hell is that fair?"

Brianna flattened her ears. "Maybe we should tell her, Drew," she said, casting an unsure glance at the mussy green haired demon. A hard glare from Drew immediately forced the cat to fall silent.

She felt the cold fingers of resentment seize harshly at her heart. May caught the obvious look shared between the two. It was that same glance she often found the two exchanging day after day after day; a look that resonated with untold knowledge and hidden enigmas.

May had thought they'd been a team. For the briefest of moments she'd allowed herself to believe that she and Drew could work together. She'd hoped that maybe, just maybe, by cooperating they could take down all the Gods – even as impossible as the task seemed.

She pushed Lua off her lap and rose to her feet. Fine. If that's the way he wanted to be, then two could play at that game. With a small huff she stomped to the door, slamming it shut hard behind her as she left.

* * *

May found Serena at the beach.

It was hard to miss her distinguished presence. That familiar murky darkness seeped into the air like sewage. She was almost surprised that the other humans couldn't feel it too; a God was a much more powerful manifestation compared to your average everyday demon. Wrinkling her nose, she forced herself to take a tentative step forward.

Before she could even reach the balcony, Serena spoke. "I almost didn't expect you to return." She heaved a long, deep sigh, turning to face May as she did so. "What do you want?" the God muttered, in as frosty a tone as she could muster. But despite her icy words, she seemed more tense and nervous than anything else.

May held her hands up, trying to appear as submissive as possible. "See? No weapon." Dropping her shoulders, she added in a joking tone, "no Drew either. Or Brianna. Thank God."

Serena smiled. "Now isn't that something. Alright." Relaxing back against the handrail, she finally seemed to allow her guard down. "What's up? You're obviously not here for a friendly chat now, huh?"

"Um…" May paused. She felt her gaze trail over to across the street, where a quaint, quiet café stood at the very corner of an avenue. "You're interested in humans, right?"

Serena nodded, suddenly cautious. "…Yeah? What about it?"

May reached deep into her pocket, feeling the clinking and rattle of a few odd coins, and the sheen slipperiness of a 20 dollar note. She held her breath. Of course. Last week's pay. At least, what was left of it.

Worse, she'd be spending her hard earned cash on an evil God. That wasn't exactly what she worked so hard for.

Still, if Drew refused to provide answers then maybe Serena could be more lenient. "You want a drink? My shout."

In the flip of a moment it was as if all her previous hesitation had melted away. Serena gasped. She clasped her hands together, eyes twinkling like bright stars. "A-Are you serious? You'll buy me something? From those weird café places? R-Really?"

"Yeah…sure." May tried to step back, but before she could Serena had flung herself forward, wrapping May in a tight, clenching hug.

"Oh my gosh! Thank you, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!"

* * *

So that was how May ended up in a quaint café, seated by the window, watching enviously as the God before her as she daintily dined on steaming hot mud cake and a mug of delicious, frothing coffee.

…This was the last thing May had expected to be doing with her weekend.

The mere mention of a café had been enough for Serena to completely loosen up; dare she say it, the girl had almost fainted by the mere thought of it. In fact, she was so excited and happy that May could hardly fit a word in.

"Hmm…what do they call this?" she'd chirped, pointing happily at the picture of a sandwich on the menu.

"Um…a grilled cheese roll?"

"Grilled cheese?" Her eyes had widened. "What's _that_?"

She'd begun the day with twenty dollars. And now she had nothing left but the clinkering change of fifty cents.

Still, it was worth it. Serena had to know a lot about Drew after all. Yes, that's right – May was here to gather evidence. It wasn't as if she was hanging out for fun with the evil God or anything.

"So," May began, hoping to cut straight to the chase; "you and Drew know each other well…right?"

Serena paused from cutting the last slice in her cake, and glanced up at May for the first time since she'd walked into the café. She looked almost confused for a moment, as if she'd been so engorged in her meal that she'd forgot all about her status as a God – then, with a sudden jolt, she nodded. "Oh – yeah, I guess you could say that. I mean…not personally, but we've met a few times."

"Really?" May tried to sound casual, but she couldn't keep the curious edge out of her tone. This was her chance to find out everything she needed to know; she couldn't screw it up, not now. "And…how exactly did you meet?"

Serena's eyes narrowed, and suddenly her voice grew soft. "I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work. I mean…that's the past, and the past should stay in the past." She frowned, a hard shadow crossing her countenance, and she added with a sharp snap, "I don't want to be a God anymore!"

There was a sudden clatter in the kitchens, an eerie hush spreading like a virus through the café. A few turned to glance at the two, confusion and annoyance written on their faces; one older lady muttered, "kids nowadays, treating religion like it's a game." May felt the heat flush to her cheeks and she slunk deeper into her chair, avoiding the burning stares that were practically puncturing holes into her skin.

Finally the hustle and bustle of the café seemed to return to normal; the constant murmur of chatter once again lulled through the air, and Serena's strange proclamation was just as quickly forgotten. Serena blushed, averting her eyes. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, quieter this time, "but it's true! I'm sick of it. Being a God of Relationship Ruin…" A single tear rolled down her cheek. "It's so unfair."

May would be lying if she said she understood Serena. As it was, she really didn't – this was the last thing she'd expect a God to say, and Hollis had never taught her about what to do when demons displayed…well…'humanlike' emotions. This was happening right before her eyes however, and she couldn't deny it, try as she like. May would have to roll with it if she wanted to fetch the answers she sought.

"Look," May said heavily, "whatever you want to be…that's your problem. But please, I need you to look back to when you knew Drew. No one will tell me anything about him. But you…" She paused, seeing Serena still look reluctant. "Please?" she finally pleaded, in a last attempt. May batted her eyelashes. "I bought you a cake!"

Serena sighed. "Well...I guess I wouldn't be a very good human if I didn't return a favor." May almost wanted to snap that she wasn't a human, and that no matter how much she desired to be she'd always forever remain a God. But she managed to keep her mouth shut, and she smiled when Serena finally relented.

"Drew was once one of the most powerful demons around. Did you know that?" When May nodded, she continued. "He was so fearsome and strong – everybody feared him. He was super cocky because of it too. I couldn't stand him." She wrinkled her nose in distaste, before resuming. "But then…I dunno, maybe he got too full of himself. Because one day he picked a fight with the God of Death. Lost of course, but he still did a lot of damage. I mean Death isn't really known for his forgiving temper, so you can imagine how much he wanted revenge."

"That's why the God of Death is after him?"

"Partially…"

"Partially?"

She lowered her voice, casting suspicious glances across the room. "Well, I don't know the whole story...I'm just…I mean, I _was_ …the God of Relationship Ruin. The weakest God. So they don't share much with me. But they say that secretly, Drew was raising a rebellion to overthrow the Gods."

May couldn't help it. She snorted – and then laughed. The thought of Drew raising an 'army' or a 'rebellion' was just too hilarious. The cocky, carefree, snide Drew she knew? Yeah, as if. She stopped however when she saw that Serena didn't share her humor over the thought.

She cocked a head. Then - "oh, I'm sorry! Was I supposed to laugh? Um…To be honest I'm not too good with jokes."

So wait – she was serious? "But it was just a rumor…right?" she couldn't help asking. Serena's brow furrowed. Suddenly May got the strong sense that there was something Serena was refusing to tell her – just as everybody else had been acting like lately. She swallowed down a rising scowl.

"Yeah, it was just a rumor," she finally conceded. "But the God of Death didn't want to take any chances. He got me, and the God of Insanity, to help track him down and put an end to his schemes. And for a while we did – but Drew's smart, and he always stayed one step ahead of us. Besides…I didn't really want Drew dead. I mean, not really. What he was fighting for…meant a lot to me."

"What he was fighting for?"

"Again – just a rumor! But for a while I was too scared to question it further. I thought, 'right, this is my job, I have to eliminate Drew!' And at the same time I couldn't stop looking at the humans with such envy and wishing I could walk among them – "

"Um – hang on! Slow down. What does this have to do with Drew?"

She blinked, long and slow, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It's no secret that for centuries there have been demons and Gods trying to walk among humans. Demons and Gods that don't want to do evil, or bring hate. The God of Malevolence hates such betrayal though. Calls them defects, and orders that they're to be eliminated. So they go into hiding…like Drew currently is." She paused. "And me, too."

May's stomach was churning. This was the exact opposite of what Hollis had taught her. This wasn't how Gods and Demons were supposed to be, this wasn't how they were supposed to act.

"It's so dangerous nowadays," whispered Serena sadly, "if you show even the slightest inkling of interest in a human. I guess that's why the rumors started circulating, after Drew challenged the God of Death. They say he's fighting for demons to live among humans. Apparently he says it's their right." Sorrow clouded her gaze. "There are so many of us that just want to live amongst you in peace. But we can't. We can't, because we are the embodiment of all that is wrong and evil with this world."

* * *

May was still brimming with countless questions, burning just at the tip of her tongue. But it seemed Serena had shared enough for today. With a ladylike courtesy and a kind thank you, she prepared to take her leave.

"Well…thanks," May said, even though she was still confused about so many things. At least she'd managed to learn more about Drew and the current situation at hand. Serena smiled.

"It's okay. But if you don't mind…I'd rather you and Drew leave me alone from now on. You can tell Drew I'm no threat to him anymore. I'm just trying to live like everybody else."

May nodded. "Oh, of course. We'll let you be." It felt weird to say that, when her job was to kill Gods and demons, not let them hang around society like buzzing flies. But try as she might, May couldn't bring herself to hate Serena. She was gentle, diplomatic, kind, timid…but not evil. Even though her presence was dark and shifting, the girl before her seemed every bit as normal as a human could be.

"Thanks. I better go now. Um…I really appreciate the food! I never knew there were so many different types of coffee you could buy! It's amazing!" And, with a small wave, she slipped away, joining the thronging crowds in walking who knows where. May watched her go, feeling both perplexed and speechless.

…So the God of Death was after Drew because he'd picked a fight with it. But why? And what was this crazy rumor about Drew starting a rebellion? And what exactly HAD Serena done to earn Drew's loathing?

She'd always thought that the Gods and demons she'd hunted were mindless, soulless monsters, hell bent on causing as much destruction as possible. And that's how they'd always appeared. She shivered, remembering the foul beast that had slaughtered her parents, and the twisted demon which had hungrily fed off the essence of its contracted partner.

But maybe Hollis had been wrong. There was definitely complexity to this demonic society, and politics that she still failed to understand.

Suddenly May was surprised at how sick she'd felt. How many demons had she killed that had been just like Serena, hoping to find a place in human society? How many creatures had she slaughtered who had actually been – well – innocent…with personalities, with emotions, with intelligence? She pressed back against the café wall, the brewing thump of a headache weighing down on her head.

Sometimes ignorance really was bliss.

* * *

Mystery: ...

 _Mystery: ..._

 _Mystery: ..._

 _Mystery: ..._

 _Mystery: ..._

 _Mystery: Finally. Next chapter will be my time to shine! Are you excited, dear readers? I'm only one of the most talented coordinators in the business!_

 _May: ANOTHER character? Seriously?_

 _Drew: You better be prepared. The author has an entire closet full of unused characters, just waiting to be used._

 _May: God help us all._

* * *

 **So happy to be back to writing Pact! This chapter was very much all about the exposition, though of course I still want to keep the answers vague. At least for now! Don't worry, one day everything will become clear...**

 **Serena was fun to write here! She's as ladylike and elegant as ever, though I liked incorporating a new social awkwardness to her character as well. We'll be seeing more of her in the future also. She's rather integral to the plot, and she knows more than she's allowing herself to tell...**

 **As usual, I must give a HUGE thank you to my beloved readers and reviewers! All of you are amazing people and seeing every favorite, follow and review brightens my day and inspires me to keep on writing. Reviews are particularly amazing to see, as it's wonderful receiving feedback from you all!**

 **Next chapter will be very much on the action side. You may also have noticed that flashbacks have stopped with this chapter, as the story is now in full swing.**

 **Ready to Fly - Thank you, as always! Max is a fun character to write and I can't wait for his planned future appearance! I'm so happy you're enjoying this story!**

 **Lola - Thank you! Unfortunately I never got around to the planned one-shot due to a hectic family Christmas, but there's definetly a one-shot in the works, so keep your eyes peeled! I love one shots too.**

 **Sterling - Ahh, I'm so glad! Thank you for your very kind review!**

 **Until next time!**


	7. Idols & Fangirls

She normally wasn't one for brooding. She felt, however, that tonight was a night that deserved such treatment.

Leaning back against smooth glass, the woman heaved in a deep sigh. The slightest of breezes crooned past her neck, sweeping up her pale pink hair in its gentle breath; the fraught air was unusually chilling for a summer evening, and she couldn't help snuggling deeper into her fluffy jacket as yet another gust of icy wind billowed past.

"Huh. I don't normally see you here."

Great. Him again. As fascinating a specimen as he was, she was in no mood to deal with eggplant-wig tonight. Despite this she forced a smile, and met the sharp green eyes of Harley.

There they stood, perched precariously on the edge of a skyscraper, towering hundreds upon hundreds of feet off the ground. Harley didn't seem to care about this danger however; arms out, he strolled forward as if he were merely walking a tightrope, and more than once did his foot nearly slip.

"Hello, Harley," the woman replied mildly, as Harley finally crossed the distance and pressed back against the glass beside her. "I can never escape you, can't I?"

He puffed out his chest at that, as if her slight insult were something to be proud of. "Gods got me on patrol tonight," he said in his slimy voice; "I can't disappoint them now, can't I?"

She couldn't help laughing at that. Of course…as infuriating as Harley could be, she had to admit that he was a sly creature. Perhaps that's why she found herself so intrigued by him. He was one of the very few with the courage – no, scratch that, foolishness – to deceit the Gods, and he displayed no fear in his constant flip flopping of sides.

She wished she could feel as carefree as he did. As it was however nothing but a brooding, sickly anticipation clutched at her chest. Something was about to happen. Maybe it was just a stray thought of hers, or maybe it was intuition. But she couldn't shake the feeling that something horrible was approaching, something truly bad.

"Oh come on, Solidad!" Harley snapped, rolling his eyes; "what's got you all down in the dumps? Don't tell me you're still worrying about that stupid Drew. I saw him a few days ago! He's fine!"

"I know," she murmured. "But Drew…well, he's always been like a son to me. I'd hate for anything bad to happen to him…or her," she added, suddenly thinking of the girl he'd recently contracted to. "She never asked to be in on this."

"Relax," Harley scowled, carelessly waving a hand. "If anyone's got it, Drew has. What with his bad boy looks and swooning charm and…and…damn it!" Suddenly, as if he were a child, he slammed his foot, clenched his fists, and shouted to the lonely night sky. "Damn it all! What does he have that I don't! I'm good looking right? I've got charm too, don't I? And I have a way better fashion sense than he does! The hell has that pretty boy got that I don't?!"

 _A brain for a start,_ Solidad wanted to say, though she kept her mouth shut. Instead she said, "You know looks have nothing to do with it. Honestly, Harley, straighten up and _think_ for a second. Who was it that started this war?"

"War? You talk about it as if it's honorable," Harley grumbled. "If you ask me Drew just started a whole big mess. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I mean, it was getting kind of boring just sitting around being demons. At least this is exciting."

"You don't care about what we're fighting for?"

"Meh. I mean, don't get me wrong. Humans are pretty interesting. And they love me," he added with a smug smirk. "Can't take their eyes off me in the streets! Must be my natural gift with fashion." Solidad had to suppress a giggle; taking in his putrid green suit and protruding cactus spines, she guessed that the humans were indeed marveling his choice of clothing, though not in a good way. "But what good is it going to do anyway? We're demons, they're humans. It's not like we could ever live among them or anything."

It was the age old argument. They were the evil of the world, the creatures that caused mayhem and destruction just by breathing the same air that humanity breathed – and yet they were also as complex and individualistic as the humans they so desired to walk among. Perhaps Solidad, Drew, Serena – hell, even Harley were all in the minority, but they couldn't deny the fact that the human race was like a magnet, an attracting force they could not stay away from no matter how hard they tried.

"But that's it, isn't it," Solidad whispered, her voice so low that Harley had to lean closer to hear. "We're constantly going back and forth. It's always the same debate, always the same argument. It never changes…" She trailed off; unable to find the words she so desperately was looking for.

Harley looked confused. An eerie silence fell upon the two for quite a few, long moments, until Harley finally piped up again. "Oh puh-lease. C'mon, Soli, this is so unlike you! Loosen up! Enjoy life! What's moping around going to do?"

He was right, although she hated to admit it. Brooding to herself like a lost puppy wouldn't help Drew in any way, shape or form; sitting around as if they'd already lost was no help to anyone. She felt her steely resolve once again, breaking through the clouding despair like an iceberg. But before she could say anymore, Harley was leaning perilously off the very edge of the skyscraper, his eyes focused on the twinkling of faraway lights so very down below.

He peered over his shoulder, a mischievous grin crossing his countenance. "Perk up, Soli, my dear! A frown doesn't suit your pretty face!" Then, with a fanciful twirl as though he were a skilled ballet dancer, he threw himself back-first off the skyscraper, disappearing at once over the lip of the edge.

Solidad ran forward, almost tripping herself when she skidded to a halt at the verge. Below she caught sight of Harley's gracefully falling shape; down he fell, wind ripping through his mauve hair, so very fast and so unrelenting…

Then, with a sudden flash, wings burst from his back, horns curled, and he twisted mid-air, whizzing at lightning speed through the night sky. His shadow crossed the full moon, and she heard him yell with glee, before he'd dashed out of sight.

Solidad sighed. "Showoff," she muttered.

Despite this she smiled.

* * *

All was peaceful that Sunday morning. A thin shawl of mist hung low over the city, rising slowly in smoky swirls, and perched upon the horizon shone the watery white light of the sun. Birds twittered their wakeup call and the air was aflutter with their beating wings and wavering songs. Even the city, usually all hustle and bustle, seemed unusually settled, with only a few cars chugging along the roads and even fewer crowds permeating the sidewalks.

Indeed all seemed perfect. Too perfect perhaps.

On a certain apartment block in a certain street, the lulling silence was suddenly broken by a high-pitched squeal, a ricocheting hiss, and the baying yaps of a fluffy little dog.

"It's on, it's on, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S ON!"

"…And there she goes again."

It was a rather normal scene to behold nowadays; Brianna perched upon the dangerously swaying shelves, batting feebly at small Lua who's incessant barking echoed loudly across the room; Drew splayed across the couch, reading some sort of supernatural magazine (and subsequently rolling his eyes and complaining about what frauds these psychics were); and of course, May, perched unhealthily close to the blaring lights of the television, her eyes wide and sparkling like that of a shoujo love interest.

"Do you have to be so loud?" sighed Drew, his eyes never leaving the pages of his book. "Not everybody wants to hear you fangirling over just a band, you know."

May snorted, barely sparing him a look. "It's _not_ a band," she responded haughtily; "it's a _revolution!_ KAB42 is the greatest union of idols e _ver_ to take the stage!" A dreamy sigh escaped her lips; clasping hands together, May looked to the heavens, as if she'd seen just seen something that the others could only dream to see. "Their music changed the industry as we know it. Led by the spectacular Shima Haruno with a heart of gold, all forty two members possess voices as sweet as honey, and their songs are amazing and so meaningful and –"

"Okay, okay, we get the point!" It was Brianna this time, now clinging to the curtains as Lua jumped and yapped below, her unsheathed claws digging deep and tearing at the soft fabric as she slid slowly down. "Now can one of you _please_ help me out here? Seriously? Guys…? GUYS!"

Drew frowned. "I thought those girl bands were all fake?"

"Fake? Where'd you here that from."

He shrugged, turning back to the depths of his magazine. "I read it somewhere. Apparently KAB42 is just a manufactured product of the bloated corporate music industry."

May scowled, finally tearing her gaze away from the TV and glancing back at the smug looking Drew. "You know, for a demon you sure know a lot of big words."

He smirked. "Hm. I try."

There was a sudden crackle from the television, and just like a woven spell May's attention was once more on the hazy glare of the TV. A rich, feminine announcer's voice spoke over the colorful figures of forty two idols, as they pranced cheerily about on stage; _"we apologize for this interruption in live programming. However, IdolTV would like to present you with something even_ better, _even_ greater _than the current program we're streaming for you. Ladies and gentleman, cats and dogs, hunters and demons –"_

May's heart nearly stopped in its tracks, as another crackle of static buzzed through the TV's screen. Drew was up at once, his magazine flopping with a thump to the ground.

" _-it's time, my dear friends, for the best idol to ever take the stage! Give it up for…Lisia!"_

"L-Lisia?!" Even Lua had stopped her yapping; the cat landed with a heavy 'oof' to the floor, her red eyes stretched unnaturally wide, trembling violently beneath her thick set of black fur. "Drew…is it really…?"

"Yeah," he replied grimly. "It's her."

Before May could even ask a question, the scene changed. Gone were the bright lights of the KAB42 concert; instead, in its place, stood a dark and looming stage.

At first there was a deep silence, broken only by the hushed and anticipated whispers of a watching audience. Their dark shadows melded and shifted before the camera, and May guessed there must've been nearly three hundred crammed in that theatre. She swallowed, a bile of dread swirling uneasily in the very pit of her stomach.

Suddenly there was a sudden flash of light from the TV; the once dark stage now danced with an array of lights, bright sparks of blue and pink and red flashing like strobes before the seated audience. There was a crackle, a boom, and then, over the sharp amplification of the microphone, there was a sweet, honeyed voice – that same voice as the announcer's, so rich and deep that just the mere sound of it seemed to lull May into an almost bleary dream.

" _Hello, hello!"_ this Lisia chirped, and her words were met by the collective cheer of over a thousand voices. _"How are my meowsters today? I hope you're ready to make some noise, 'cause we aren't stopping 'til we're dropping!"_

At this there was another thundering cheer, louder than the last, and the audience raised their hands in a rippling wave. May could hear Brianna hiss in the background – "oh of course she does something stupid like this! Seriously, Lisia is one of the dumbest Gods I've ever met!" – but strangely, May found she couldn't care less about what the two had to say.

There was something so alluring, so captivating, about what was taking place before her; even on TV, it was as if there was a dark power seeping from the screen, wrapping chilled fingers around her heart and drawing her even closer than before.

It was at this that a platform began to descend upon the stage, a dark figure perched atop it. A swirl of airy white mist curled up and around the idol's slim form, as with a heavy thump the platform ground to a stop and the pristine woman took one dainty step into the light.

She seemed normal, at first glance – well, as normal as a pop idol could be…which in retrospect wasn't very normal at all. Dressed in a revealing blue cropped outfit with a ringlet tangle of sea-green hair, all this woman merely needed to do was raise her hand in a salute, and at once the crowd erupted into another round of clapping and excited screaming and enthusiastic cheering.

And then May saw her eyes.

Red. Deep red, bottomless, even darker than Drew's. She should've recoiled in disgust – she should've felt hate coil like a snake within her gut, and she should've been shouting happily to Drew about how they'd found their next target. But something entirely different happened; instead, there was a strange flip in her belly, a sudden fog clouding her mind, and the next thing she uttered was merely the hushed whisper of – "she's amazing."

It was a strange experience…as if she were no longer in control, as if she were floating outside her own body. Everything felt numb, from the very tips of her fingers to the nubs of her toes. A cold shiver rippled down her spine, and conflicting emotions of an almost false admiration and bitterness intertwined together, her stomach roiling at the unnatural clash of her feelings.

" _Look into my eyes,"_ Lisia was saying from her place on stage, and the audience obeyed, hell, even May did, and it was at that moment that her previous doubt and uncertainty vanished, and she felt strangely comforted, as if she could stare into Lisia's deep red orbs for all eternity. _"That's it, my friends…The eyes are the windows to our soul. Look deep, deeper even, and you'll see everything I have to offer."_

In the background she heard Brianna screech – "Turn it off, Drew, turn it off!" – and there was a dull, distant thud of feet, before there was an abrupt flash of darkness before the screen; another sharp crackle of static, and Lisia disappeared, as if she'd never even been there in the first place.

And just like a spell it was broken. May blinked, long and slow, a grogginess still weighing down heavily upon her mind, and her movements felt strangely sluggish, as if she still wasn't entirely in control. "What…just happened?"

But her faint question was ignored; instead, spitting with rage, Brianna was arguing with Drew; "could she be even stupider? And she wonders why she's always in trouble with Death."

"But that's Lisia for you," Drew muttered. "She doesn't care about the consequences. It's all just a game for her."

An eerie quietness fell across the room. It took May a few minutes until she found the strength to speak once more; even then, her voice trembled slightly, as if she still hadn't found the energy to force the words out. "That was a God, wasn't it?"

It was a dumb question – of course it was a God, she realized immediately, throughout the thick slog that was her thoughts.

"Oh, my dearest Maple," Drew sighed, an edge of sarcasm blunting his unusually serious tone; "I suppose it's time for you to meet Lisia – the God of Idolism."

* * *

There they stood, right before the great and looming architecture of the theatre, swamped in its impending shadow. For a moment May was unsure whether they were being brave, or just incredibly foolish idiots – honestly, it was probably the latter. Even now, May could feel the beginnings of a dark presence shifting and swirling beneath her feet, clinging like a dark mist to the clothes on her back. She shuddered; Serena's darkness had felt almost kind compared to this.

There was no doubt about it. The God they were about to tackle was one of raw power, a being to rightfully be feared.

Her stomach roiled at the mere thought of coming face to face with the same God whom had somehow managed to lull her into a drifting trace, the effects of which still hung heavily upon her shoulders even now. A few hours later and May's movements still felt slow and restricted, as if her bones were bound with lead. Had simply glancing the God in the eye really done that to her?

"There's no doubt about it!" reported Brianna as she loped back to them in her half-demon form. "She's definitely here. Question is, how do we get to her?"

A crowd swarmed like bees before them; young and old reaching out to the looming steel doors, pressing back against two surly guards as they fought the oncoming wave. The fans were screaming her name, as if just doing so would be enough to summon the Idol to their very beck and call. May grimaced – to think that this God had the power to manipulate and attract people like that…She quelled another shiver, and turned back to Drew.

"Alright," she said, hoping her voice sounded determined enough; "we need to get past those guards. Any ideas?"

"It'll be difficult," the green-haired demon mused. "Lisia is ten times worse than Serena. She's one of the more powerful on the spectrum."

" _Every God has its own special ability,"_ Brianna had chirped knowledgably as they'd prepared to leave; _"the God of Idolism's is simple. One look at her eyes and she'll have you caught like a fly in a spider's web."_ The cat's eyes had narrowed at that point. _"You gotta promise, don't look her in the eyes. The moment you do is the moment when she'll have complete power over you."_

...Just like when she'd locked gazes with Lisia on television.

It was worse with those who couldn't sense demons or Gods however; they were acting as if Lisia had been a well-established idol for years. Everyone who saw her seemed to melt into a puddle of slop – s _o much so that she's even managed to go about manipulating the broadcast waves._ May had never seen someone so…so… _reckless b_ efore. Most demons in possession of a body wondered about quality, but here, Lisia didn't seem content until she had the entire world wallowing at her feet.

"Oh, oh, I know! I got an idea!" With a whisk Brianna was back in her normal cat form, practically shaking with excitement. " _I'll_ distract them! And while I'm working my magic, you two can saunter past and go kick that Lisia's butt to the moon and back!"

May tried to hold it back – she really did – but seeing Brianna, chest puffed with pride, thinking she'd found the end all be all plan for them to sneak in…She snorted, and burst out into laughter. "O-Oh yeah? What are you going to do? Purr them to death?"

The small kitten hissed with impatience. "Oh you laugh now!" she snapped, "but you won't be laughing when I get you into that theater." With that she turned her back on May and, with a disdainful sniff, kicked up some dust at the Hunter's feet. "Watch and learn, my friend," she said, as she melded into the thronging of the crowd; "watch and learn."

She disappeared. May shared a dubious glance with Drew. "How long do you give her?"

"A minute," he immediately replied.

"I say thirty seconds."

"It's a bet then."

Sure enough, mere twenty seconds later and there was a black blur hurtling towards them. Drew sighed as the shape collided sharply with his chest, claws scrambling for grip, eyes terrified, violent shakes wracking her body. "Oh, Drew!" she wailed, as May rolled her eyes; "it was terrible! Those guards kicked and swatted at me! I thought humans couldn't resist this fluffy body!"

"They hated you, huh?"

"Y-Yeah," the little cat sniffed; "the second guard was sneezing and yelling and the first kicking and swearing. What complete butts."

"Hm…I think I have a plan."

Brianna seemed to brighten at that. "You do?"

"Yeah." With this he gripped Brianna even closer to his chest, and began to push his way into the crowd. May stifled a groan and followed, already beginning to see where this encounter was heading.

As they shoved their way nearer and nearer to the guards, Brianna's mews became even more incessant. "H-Hey, Drew…so uh, what's the plan? You're not going to do something stupid, are you?"

"You're kidding, right?" Drew blinked wide, innocent eyes at the cat, though May caught the sly hint of mischief that had alighted in his orbs. "Since when do I ever _not_ come up with the perfect plans?"

"That's true." There was a surprised pause; May blushed, feeling a hot heat warm her cheeks, and she quickly added, "I mean, just trust him, Brianna. Don't worry, we have you covered."

Drew said nothing for a while – then he flashed his trademark cocky smirk. "Exactly. This is for the best, Brianna."

"…For the best?"

May, quickly catching on to his idea, chipped in once more; "sometimes you gotta take one for the team, y'know?"

"Oh great. What are you two planning?"

They didn't have time to answer. They'd managed to push their way to the very front of the crowd, where the two guards stood hulking by the doors, the second security's brow knitted as his friend sneezed and sneezed beside him.

Drew lowered his voice as Brianna stiffened even further within his arms. "Don't stay long. Just long enough to distract him, alright? Once we're in, you can run away."

"Uh, Drew, I'm not sure I approve of this plan –"

And just like that, he flashed Brianna the most charming and slick smile that the demon could muster. Seeing it even made May feel sick to her stomach; she huffed, glancing away, as Drew pulled out yet another of his deep red roses and tucked it behind the demon-cat's ear. "I believe in you, Brianna," he said, almost warmly; "can you do this one thing for me?"

"Anything for you, Drew!"

As if by magic, she'd wriggled out of his grip and leaped to the ground. "Alright, guys! Wish me luck!"

She wriggled her haunches, narrowed her eyes in fiery determination, and leaped.

Brianna's claws caught the man's face, and she held there, red eyes staring into a shocked and pallid blue. Even the crowd went still for a moment, an unnatural hush falling like a shadow over the anticipating audience.

And then the guard started screaming. He swung around, grappled at the cat hooked like a vice to his skin, and his friend, shouting, attempted to help, hitting at everything but the black cat clinging on like glue. "Now!" snapped Drew, and they shoved themselves against the steel door; it opened with a whining creak. May was first to slip through, just as a guard noticed their act; he yelled, but it was too late, as Drew followed her lead and they slammed the door back into place, locking it firmly behind them. The nervous and excited shouts of the crowd, and the pained howling of the man, faded to a distant hum beyond the heavy metal of the doors. Guilt coiled in her stomach – had she really just done that? – But she forced the feeling away, a new sense of determination seizing at her chest.

They had a mission to accomplish here. They couldn't give up now.

"We don't have much time," Drew said, and he grasped her hand in his own. "Come on. We should hurry."

For once May didn't refuse his grip.

They ran down the dark hall, following the dark presence as its slinking ebb and flow grew more potent and powerful by the minute. _We're close,_ May thought, and with it she began to feel afraid, an intoxicating fear swirling through her mind like a mist. What would they find there? How would they even go about killing a God?

…What the hell would Hollis say if he saw her now? Breaking and entering, consorting with demons, about to tackle a God so beyond their league –

She laughed. It was a bitter sound, but she couldn't help it. Glancing at Drew, May couldn't resist a small smile. Alright, maybe fighting a God w _as_ out of her league – but she wasn't alone. She had a demon by her side. It was, at the very least, some small comfort; she wouldn't be facing Lisia alone.

They came to a sudden halt at the end of the hall, where a steel bolted door titled 'Makeup' sat. May shivered; the presence was incredibly strong here, its flow and pull dragging uncomfortably at her feet. She stepped back, and for the first time she couldn't help vocalizing her fears.

"…Drew, are we way over our heads here?"

His response was immediate. "Probably." He turned to May, releasing her hand, and a serious expression now crossed his countenance, only further serving to feed May's doubt. "But do you want to break the Contract or not?"

She paused, unsure how to answer.

"I mean…" he continued on, inspecting his hand, "unless you enjoy being bound to a demon as handsome and great as myself."

"Ugh! No thanks! I'd rather be shackled to a maneating, rabid, demonic boarhound than with you!"

"Oh! So you're scared then?"

"As if! You'd think that was hilarious, huh?" She huffed, stalking away from him and pressing one hand against the cool, sheen metal of the door. She hesitated for the briefest of moments, until she felt Drew's callous hand on top of her own.

"Come on," he sighed, his brow furrowed determinedly; "we'll do this thing together. Okay?"

She paused – then nodded. "Okay. Together."

"3."

"2."

"1."

The door swung open before they could even grasp the handle.

And there, standing before them, eyes as red as gore and teal-blue hair curled into fanciful ringlets, was Lisia.

"Well, well. I've been waiting for you, Drew. Come in." She narrowed her eyes, a cruel smile worming its way onto her lips. "Make yourself at home."

* * *

 _Extra 0.7_

 _WHO'S THAT DEMON/GOD P.2_

 _Brianna: A God of Idolism! Oh, I know Lisia well! She's the most aggravating, annoying, self-obsessed, vain, petty -_

 _May: Uh...let's just consult Dexter the DemonDex, shall we?_

 _Brianna: Hmph! Fine..._

 _Dexter: God of Idolism - This particular God adores attention. They preside over all that is ungodly and false, materialistic or otherwise! They are known for their special ability of manipulation. One look into their eyes renders all those around them lovestruck and in adoration. Most commonly found around crowds of people._

 _Brianna: Ugh...May, Drew, do me a favor and make sure you don't stop fighting until Lisia's dead as can be!_

 _Brianna: That's it for this episode. Tune in next time, dear readers, for the next episode of WHO'S THAT DEMON/GOD (p3)!_

* * *

 **Oh, would you look at that! Another late update! -flails-**

 **Don't hate me guys. xD**

 **Well, a bit of a cliffhanger, but I can confirm that next chapter is when things get serious! I had fun writing Lisia's power in this chapter; she's a pretty fun God to play around with. We'll definitely be seeing more of her soon!**

 **Also, indeed, poor May is quite the fan of J-pop and K-pop. I'm not sure how she'll feel about the genres however after her encounter with Lisia!**

 **And finally, for all the reviewers! Thank you SO much for every favorite, follow and review! It's amazing to see and I love you all for it! Again, THANK YOU!**

 **LolaXP - Serena's one of the very rare 'nice' Gods, I should say. As you can probably tell from Lisia here, they stop being nice and start getting dangerous...Thank you for keeping up with the story, as always! I look forward to your feedback!**

 **Sterling - Ahh, Sterling! Thank you! I'm feeling much better now, thanks for asking! And all will be revealed in good time...**

 **Ace - Ace, your review really made me overjoyed to see. Again, thank you so much for your feedback! On the subject of why I decided to run with this take on Iris's characterization, I admit in retrospect perhaps I could've taken a different route more befitting of her original character. However I did feel that maybe Iris's wild personality and rather invasive nature could work well in this AU, so I decided to expand upon those traits. She's fun to write, but I agree, looking back I should probably have written her differently! Again, thank you very much for your lovely review.**

 **Until next time!**


End file.
